Cells and Serpents
by Reijiro
Summary: [TT:1] During a battle with a Purple Dragon newbie Raph manages to lose a sai. What will it take to get it back?
1. Chapter 1

A/N: Based on the new cartoon series 6 months after Exodus I & II (end of season 3).

Disclaimer: I don't own the TMNT, or any related characters (much to their relief, I'm sure!) If there is anything else in this story you recognise from somewhere else, then I don't own that either.

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The night air was cool and fresh. The streets were almost deserted at this late hour, especially in this part of town. Raphael wasn't in any rush to head back underground. He had snuck out of the lair earlier to catch a movie marathon of Batman 1, 2 & 3. Now he was meandering down the city streets, window shopping and enjoying the fresh air. Splinter had eased up a lot on his restrictions concerning topside time over the last year or so; though Raph suspected he would still be in for a lecture when he got home anyway, and that could wait.

As Raph turned a corner he spotted a group of punks a little way down the road. He slipped back round the corner to conceal himself, even though he was wearing his trench coat and fedora. Sneaking a peak his suspicions were confirmed. Most of the punks had prominent tattoos of dragons; the marks proof their membership of the Purple Dragon gang. The leader of the group was a tall guy whose dragon tat covered half his face. Raph had tangled with him before. The other five in the group seemed to be fairly young, probably newbies to the gang.

Raph watched the group as they nonchalantly made their way down the street, heading away from him. Then they all disappeared into a side alley, the neon sign that lit the area read 'Dan's Discount Depot'. Raph grinned to himself, it looked like he was gonna have a bit of fun tonight. He carefully made his way down the street towards the alley. He paused when he got to the entrance to scope out what was happening. The back door to 'Dan's' had been forced open, the alarm system module just outside the door was issuing a thin white smoke.

Most of the group were inside the shop, Raph could hear them rummaging about and talking. They obviously weren't to worried anyone was gonna hear them. One girl had been left outside to keep watch. She was obviously a real newbie; she looked to be around 15 and was wearing one of those tops that tied on around the neck and waist, leaving her back bare. Her tat was freshly done; the skin was still pretty bruised around it. The serpent wound its' way across the small of her back, then up the left hand side. Its' tail disappeared under her jeans near her right hip and its' head came to rest on her left shoulder.

She wasn't being much of a look-out, wandering slowly up and down the alley, mainly inspecting her boots. Her long hair was tied back in a pony tail and she had pulled it over her right shoulder to run her fingers through it while she waited. "Arrogant bitch" Raph thought to himself, he assumed she had swallowed all the crap the Purple Dragons usually fed their newbies about how they were the toughest gang around, even the cops rarely interfered with 'em. In fact that was pretty well true; but he would teach her, and the others, that a tat didn't really give that much protection, no matter how cool it looked.

Raph grinned in anticipation; he hadn't had a good scrap for a while so he was gonna enjoy this. He pulled his fedora on a bit tighter and loosened his coat so he could rest a hand on the butt of his sai, relaxed but ready. As he sauntered into the alley the girls head snapped up to watch him. That gave him a little pause, maybe she was a bit more alert than she had seemed. She observed him for a few moments "Hey mate, this alley is taken, find a home somewhere else for tonight, eh?" Great, she thought he was a bum. "Not lookin' for a home" he grunted; then waited to see what she would do next. She didn't seem to be frightened of him, though the alley was dark and with the light at his back she probably couldn't make out his features too well.

Her brow furrowed a little and she glanced towards the broken door to the store, then she reached into her pocket "Look, this isn't a good place to be right now. Here's five bucks, just take it and go before that lot come back out." She nodded her head in the direction of the door as she offered him the note. This was weird, what the hell did she think she was doing? "I don't want your money, lady" he growled. She took a couple of steps back at that, raising her head to look down her nose at him. "Well there's nothing else for you here except a world of hurt if you don't bugger off, now".

One of the punks appeared in the doorway holding large boxes marked 'Sony" under each arm as she finished speaking. He glanced at her then at Raph. He wasn't such a newbie, Raph felt a thrill of satisfaction as the punk face faulted recognising the threat he posed. "SHIT! Dragon-face, it's one of those tur…Uh!" his warning abruptly ended by Raphs' fist smashing his mouth. The boxes clattered as they fell, Raph grabbed the stunned punk by his T-shirt and threw him into the alley wall opposite. The punk collapsed to the ground, unmoving. "One down…" Raph thought as the other punks rushed out of the building. The first two out the door were almost as easy to down as the first. The third was a bit more fun, he had come out swinging a crowbar and knew how to move, but it was still only a couple of minutes before he was joining his friends on the ground.

Raph returned his weapons to his belt and straightened his hat slightly as he surveyed his handy work. Dragon-face wasn't among the limp bodies, and neither was the lookout. He glanced down the alley to see her standing a short distance away. She hadn't screamed or run or anything he had expected her to do, she was just stood there watching him. Raph scowled, he wasn't that keen on being studied. He ignored her for a moment as he stepped over to the door to check where Dragon-face had gotten to.

As Raph poked his head in he saw that one of the front windows had been broken through. Obviously Dragon-face had run, probably to bring reinforcements. "Damn." That just left the girl. It wasn't his style to beat up on unarmed girls, so he'd just scare her a bit. Make her think twice about pulling this kind of crap again.

He turned back towards her with a dark look, drawing his sais he took a step forward. Now he noticed why she hadn't run, it was a blind alley and he was still stood between her and the street. She started to look a little worried and stepped back as he approached. Raising her hands to ward him off she spoke in a guarded tone "Hey, I don't want to fight you, OK?" "Too bad, you get a tat like that" he pointed to her shoulder "you gotta expect a bit of trouble." Glancing at the marks he indicated she grimaced slightly. "Fine, whatever."

He was already annoyed at losing Dragon-face, and with this chicks' attitude. When she gave him an angry glare he felt the last shred of his temper snap. Who the hell did this chick think she was? He leapt forward, reaching out to strike the vulnerable spot on the side of her neck with the curved wing of his sai. She reacted much quicker than he anticipated, ducking under his arm and even landing a punch on plastron as he passed. He grunted, more with surprise than pain, her response was louder "Argh, damn what are you wearing under that thing?" She shook her hand as they faced off again.

An evil sounding chuckle escaped Raph; he sized her up a bit more carefully this time. She had some skill and was pretty quick on her feet. He had the clear advantage though, they were of similar height but he had more weight to put behind his blows, his 'in-built' armour, and he was armed. Maybe she wasn't gonna be a complete push over, but that just made things more interesting.

She dropped into a defensive stance as he lunged at her again. She feinted as if to block his blow with her arm, but disappeared from sight again just before he struck. She managed to back flip under his arm, catching his hand between her boots. They must've had steel caps because the pain they caused shocked him into loosening his grip on his weapon, allowing it to be pulled from his hand as she completed her manoeuvre. She performed a second flip to put some distance between them.

"Bitch!" It was his turn to nurse his hand briefly as she stood to face him again, the captured sai held in front of her as she crouched slightly in a ready position. She smirked at him, knowing she had evened the odds a bit. "Big mistake" was the last coherent thought Raph had. He was seriously angry now, any notion of not trying to hurt this girl fled as he spun his remaining sai. The point of the weapon was directed at his opponent now as he launched himself at her again. "HaYAHH!"

The two danced in a flurry of blows for a few moments before she managed to land a solid kick on his side, knocking him a little off balance. "AARGHH!" her face contorted in pain. She had kicked him with the top of her boot, behind the protective metal plate. She hadn't expected to encounter a hard ridge running down his side. He took advantage of her distraction to recover and land a kick of his own on her solar plexus, knocking her backward off her feet and onto the prone bodies of the other gang members. She cried out again once she managed to sharply suck some of her breath back into her body; arching her back as the bruised flesh around her tattoo complained sharply about being abused so.

Raph started to approach, intent on retrieving his property. Suddenly he was all but blinded by a large truck pulling in the end of the alley. Quick as a flash he leapt backwards, away from the glare of the headlights. The alley was blind, but a fire escape beckoned near the rear wall. Raph was up it and looking over the edge of the roof above the alley before the punks in the truck had reached their fallen comrades.

Dragon-face had certainly brought plenty of reinforcements; they poured out of the back of the truck and started to mill about the alley. Dragon-face ran over to the girl who had managed to sit up. He seemed pretty concerned about her now, talking to her intently. Raph saw her nod to his enquiries then she pushed him away. Dragon-face stood and started issuing orders to the other gang members. As the punk walked away from the girl Raph thought he saw her wince, then reach down under her thigh to fetch out his sai. She quickly glanced around; no one else was paying her any attention now. Then she stood quickly, if a little unsteadily, and slipped the weapon into the top of her jeans, pulling her shirt over to hide the handle.

It was all Raph could do to stop himself from leaping back down there and retrieving his weapon, preferably with extreme physical force. However, he knew when he was outnumbered. He continued to watch as Dragon-face returned to the girl and tried to help her to the truck, she didn't seem to want him to touch her. Within a few minutes the rest of the casualties were also loaded, along with a fair amount of the stock from 'Dan's Discount Depot'.

Once the truck left Raph peeled his fingers from the parapet, his knuckles had gone white from the pressure he had exerted on the concrete. He heard the wail of police sirens approaching. "Friggin' typical!" he muttered at the 'timely' response from the city's law enforcers. By the time the cops arrived he was long gone as well.


	2. Chapter 2

A/N: For those of you who are wondering, this is the back story to Birds 'n' Bees. However, I'm not intending to make this an 'everyone gets a chick and settles down to a 'normal' life' kinda story. I am an angst junkie and fully intend to torture all the characters! The good ol' turtle luck will be running true to form, most of the time. Hehehe.

A/N 2: I am not happy with the title for this fic. I started out calling it 'Fine Lines', then 'Dungeons and Dragons' for the cages (both literal and metaphorical some of the characters find themselves in) and the Purple Dragon involvement here. Of course that title is completely lame / overused / copyrighted. So came up with 'Cells and Serpents' as a play on 'D&D'. However, if any one can come up with a better title, I would love to hear it!

Disclaimer: I don't own the TMNT, or any related characters (much to their relief, I'm sure!) If there is anything else in this story you recognise from somewhere else, then I don't own that either.

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The prediction Raph had made about a lecture proved to be right. He had snuck back into the lair before anyone else was up, just. He had even managed to get to his room, hide his lone sai under his mattress and throw himself into bed to doze for a few minutes before he heard the knock on his door and Leo calling "Come on bro, time to rise and shine".

But his sensei knew, somehow he always knew, and over breakfast he had lectured Raph about the dangers of travelling above ground alone, without letting anyone know where he was going, and of getting involved in fights at such times without thinking of the consequences. How would his family be able to find and assist him if he was seriously hurt or captured? Yes, they had their 'shell cells', but these could be lost or broken. Such technology was a useful tool, but should not be relied upon exclusively…

Raph had sat through most of the lecture in silence, occasionally glaring at his brothers as they snickered or grinned at his discomfort. At first he had tried to deny he had been in a serious fight, he only had a couple of light bruises after all. But Splinter had discounted Raph's protests by pointing out that any fight could become a serious one. Remembering how he had underestimated the girl when they had first started their skirmish, Raph had quickly shut up, not wanting to give away any real details of what had happened.

Then, during morning practice he'd had to explain why he was using his old pair of sais, one had an inch broken off one of the wings, the wooden handle of other was cracked so badly it was only held together by the red banding around it. He'd made up a quick white lie, something about needing to fix some bad scratches in one of his usual pair so they were both balanced the same way again. There was no way he could let them know he had lost one, and to a Purple Dragon newbie at that. His brothers would never let him live it down, so he reasoned it was for their own good that they didn't know; saved him having to beat them over it.

Ignoring Splinter's lecture, Raph had snuck out each night since then. Damned if he was gonna let the sai go. He had made them both himself and had spent most of his savings at the time getting the best quality steel he could find. They were the first fully metal pair he'd had, and they were balanced and matched perfectly. He knew the chances of making another one that would match the one he still had were practically nil; it was much easier to make a pair together. Besides he would have to get hold of some more high quality steel for that.

He had taken to spying on the warehouse complex that served as the head quarters for the Purple Dragons for a few hours every night. It was risky, he knew, but every gang member turned up here sooner or later. However, he hadn't seen the girl he was looking for once in almost a week. Tonight he had high hopes though. The gang were having one of their 'tournaments', apparently it was a grand final or something 'cos the whole place was crawling with punks. It looked as if each and every gang member had turned up for it.

It was a fair distance from the doors of the warehouse to his vantage point on the roof of a building on the opposite side of the empty lot that served as the gang's parking area. Finally, he saw a girl he thought was her and Dragon-face walk out of the warehouse and into the car park. They wandered away from the crowd at the entrance, though Dragon-face kept looking back; obviously concerned he was missing the action inside.

The girl leaned back against a car and ran her fingers through her hair, pulling it back from her face. The night was fairly warm; summer was just starting to bite. She wore a grey dress, short with thin straps over her shoulders. Now she had moved her loose hair out of the way Raph could make out the head of her tattoo on her shoulder. It was definitely her, now how to get her alone?

He was pondering this as he watched the two of them seemingly start to fight. Shortly Dragon-face left her to head back to the warehouse; though her gestures for him to do just that made it obvious she had told him where to go. She stalked off in the other direction. Raph couldn't believe his luck; she was walking right towards his building. There was a narrow lane way that led from the car park between the two buildings that walled it. Raph leapt down it, springing between the walls to control his drop, then hid behind a couple of burnt out drums near the entrance.

This end of the lot was fairly shadowy, the main light source coming from the warehouse entrance disrupted by the vehicles parked between. Raph heard the girl approaching, muttering under her breath as she scuffed through the dirt. She wandered past where he was hiding and paused for a moment to stretch her arms behind her back. Silently Raph made his move…

The quiet gloom was a relief after the heat and noise of the tournament. She normally enjoyed watching martial competitions, but this was different. There were no real rules or limits; the winner was the last to remain standing in the ring. However, the combatants that managed to win by simply tossing their opponents out of the ring were usually tormented more than the losers, so that didn't happen often. It was ugly. She knew it wouldn't be long before someone came looking for her, so she wandered as far from the warehouse as she could. She didn't bother trying to head out of the main gate; she knew she would be stopped there.

With no real place to go she started walking a slow circuit of the lot. She stopped for a moment to stretch and release some of the tension in her back. As she started to take another step she was yanked backwards slightly by a hand wrapping over her mouth. She froze as she felt a sharp metal tip pushed lightly against the side of her neck. "You've got something of mine, and I want it back, now" he rasped behind her ear. She took a moment to regain her composure, then reached up to tap the back of his hand over her mouth. "All right, but if you scream, you're dead. Got it?" She nodded slightly and he complied with her silent request, moving his hand to the side of her neck. Her dark blonde hair felt like silk against his thumb as his motion brushed it aside and he caught a faint sweet scent; apple? He was careful not to touch her tattoo, looking at it this closely he could appreciate the detail of it. It almost looked as if a real serpent were clinging to her; there were even small droplets of blood where the creatures' talons dug into her shoulder blade, below her neck. Of course the creature was coloured purple, but many different shades of the dye helped pick out the finer points of the sinewy neck and leg showing above the square cut fabric of her dress. He knew it was stupid, but he didn't want to place his fingers too close to the sharp fangs depicted in the creatures' mouth.

"If you want it back, you're gonna have to let me go…" "What? No way." He increased the force on her neck with his sai, it was the one whose partner he wanted back. She squirmed a little, trying to escape the pressure. Turning her head slightly she noticed the hand holding the weapon was a dark green. It looked like he was wearing some kinda gloves, leather maybe? Despite their earlier encounter she hadn't gotten a good look at him at all, though she recognised his voice. However, she had heard about this 'turtle' gang that was a rival to her own. "Maybe they dress in green" she thought to herself.

"Look, I don't have it with me. So if you want it back you're gonna have to let me go so I can fetch it for you." Raph scowled, shifting back a little so he could look her up and down. It was fairly obvious she was telling the truth, there was no way she could hide anything under that dress. She was wearing high healed shoes that almost made her equal to his height. It felt odd looking at the back of her head, it almost made him disregard her as a threat, she was just too small. Her light frame and the hair tumbling down to the small of her back made her seem like a child, although the shape of her hips and legs reminded him she wasn't. Then he recalled that she had taken his sai. Raph reapplied the pressure to her neck with his remaining weapon. "No way, if I let you go your just gonna run." "If you don't let me go I can't get it for you." Raph growled to himself in frustration. The extra katas Splinter had insisted he do for most of the past week, and the sleep he had missed, were catching up with him. How could he have gotten himself into such a stupid situation?

"I know we are enemies and everything, but you're gonna have to trust me. These are you're options as I see 'em. One, you kill me now and you don't get your sai; two you let me go and you get your sai back; or three we hang around here arguing about this until that lot" she pointed towards the warehouse "find us and probably kill us both. Personally I think option two is your best bet." Raph glanced towards the warehouse as she gestured. A small group of punks broke away from the clamour at the door and started to head into the car park. Dragon-face was leading them, and he seemed to be searching for something among the cars.

"Damn it! Alright, here's the deal. I'm gonna let you go. You do not move, look back or anything for at least 10 seconds. Then you go get my sai and bring it back here as soon as you can. You can leave it behind those drums near the lane." "I might not be able to get back out here anytime soon" "Don't care, just get it back here tonight, clear?" The girl nodded slightly. "Good, 'cos if you don't the next time I see you, your dead, got it?" The girl shuddered slightly and then nodded again. Raph let her go, and sprinted into the darkness of the laneway. He had scaled the building and was back at his previous perch before the girl started to move. At least she had followed his first instruction. Raph watched as she weaved her way through the cars to rejoin Dragon-faces' little troupe. It wasn't long before they had disappeared back inside the warehouse.

Raph made him-self as comfortable as he was able, confident his property would be returned in short order. The tournament seemed to drag on for hours, his eyes started to get tired as the strain of trying to track the people coming and going from the warehouse took its toll. Eventually the majority of the people seemed to be leaving. The car park became a frenzy of activity for a while, yet no-one approached the lane out of the chaos. Finally the hubbub died down, the lights on the outside of the warehouse were shut off and the main doors were closed. Still he waited, she had said it might take a while after all. By the time the first light of dawn started to break in the east Raphs' arms ached from the tension of being angrily folded for the past few hours. It was obvious she wasn't coming. "SHIT!" Raph bruised his knuckles as he cracked the parapet with his fist.

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Splinter was waiting in the sewer tunnel outside the main entrance to the lair when Raph finally arrived home. He was silent as Raph approached him, shoulders hunched, looking tired and muttering under his breath. He couldn't raise his eyes to meet those of his master, he knew he had disobeyed his orders. Splinter waited until Raph stood, silent and sullen before him. "I am disappointed in you, my son. Despite my warnings you have left our home for the past five nights with no intention of letting us know where you are going, what you are doing. I have tried my best to dissuade you from this behaviour, I thought extra exercise during the day would tire you, curb your restless spirit a little. I do not lecture you so to annoy you. I do it because I care. We all worry for you when you pull away from us like this. I do not wish to lose you Raphael." "Yer not gonna lose me master, there was just something I had ta do." "You know I am here to talk to, whenever you need me." "Yeah." Raph sighed and concentrated on the stone he was polishing with his toe. He hated it when Splinter asked him to talk, it's not that he didn't want to, it was just when it came to emotional stuff he just couldn't seem to ever find the right words to express himself, or figure out a way to speak past the tightness in his throat.

It was Splinters' turn to sigh "I am sorry, my son, but this cannot continue. You will not be allowed out of the lair unaccompanied for the next two weeks, and I wish you to tidy the warehouse today once you have had some sleep. You are excused from training this morning, please go to your room now." "Yes Master." Raph muttered as turned to enter the lair.

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Raph was sat on a workbench at the far end of the warehouse, dejectedly looking at his sai as he spun it slowly on his hand. Leo stepped over the assorted car parts, half a skateboard and other debris that still littered the floor as he quietly approached. "Howdy bro, how's things?" Leo was surprised that his brother jumped when he spoke to him. It was normally almost impossible to sneak up on Raph, and that hadn't been Leo's intention. "Oh, hey man." Raph quickly tucked his sai back into his belt and took the cola Leo offered him. Leo leaned against the bench as they both took a drink from their cans. "You've lost one, haven't you?" "Dunno what ya talkin' about…" "Oh come on Raph, if it was just some scratches you'd have fixed 'em by now. I haven't seen you with both your sais all week. What happened to the other one?" "Nothin', it doesn't matter." "It obviously does to you." Leo studied his brothers' face as he scowled at the wall. An uncomfortable silence stretched between them until Leo was sure Raph was just going to ignore him. Since Raph was obviously intent on studying the tyre rack, Leo decided to study the reflections from the dark liquid in his can.

"I lost it in a fight a few nights ago" started Raph, almost inaudibly. Leo turned his head slightly to listen, but sensed that it would be easier for his brother if he didn't look at him directly. "I know who has it Leo, and I'm gonna get it back." Leo didn't doubt it, the hard edge to Raphs' voice made him feel a twinge of pity for whichever poor fool had taken the weapon. Leo thought for a moment. "You know the wise thing to do would be to just let it go, it is just a piece of metal after all" Leo looked up to meet his brothers' angry eyes "but I know you can't do that, anymore than I could. Just remember, we're here if you need us, OK?" Raph looked a little perplexed "Yeah… OK." Leo smiled. "You better get started on this lot" he swept his free hand around to indicate the cluttered warehouse "or your gonna be here all night." Raph slipped off the workbench "Yeah, I think that's the general idea."


	3. Chapter 3

A/N: Got some references in here to equipment / sports some may not be familiar with. Kendo is essentially sparring with light bamboo swords (called shinai) and armour. In competitions two opponents try to score the points using specific strikes. It is a body contact sport, very athletic, especially with the armour on (weighs a ton & you can hardly see!). Most Japanese high schools have kendo clubs, and it is now practiced throughout the world. Completely off topic but the solid wooden sword Kuno usually has in Ranma ½, and Leo uses against Raph in the Return to New York comics is called a bokken. Iaido is also a sport involving sword play, but it is practiced with 'live' blades and is the art of performing the 'perfect cut' (ie defeating your opponent with your first strike). For obvious reasons this isn't a contact sport. It is similar to performing a short kata in front of judges. If you are interested in more info check out the West Australian Kendo Renmei website. Ninja-to is a term applied to the straight short swords traditionally utilised by ninja. They were usually a foot shorter that a katana, were often hollow (some could be used as a breathing tube / pea shooter), and cheaply made (no dramas if it was lost / broken). They were also not considered to be honourable weapons.

A/N 2: I hope I haven't gone out of character for Raph in this. One of the aspects I love about the TMNT is their compassion, even if Raph would hate to admit it!

Disclaimer: I don't own the TMNT, or any related characters (much to their relief, I'm sure!) If there is anything else in this story you recognise from somewhere else, then I don't own that either.

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The red hued light playing across the ceiling slowly faded into darkness. She winced a little, her battered body protesting as she rolled over to face her pillow. She slid her hand under it to feel the cool steel of the sai she had hidden there. Her spirits bolstered by the hard metal, the wicked tips. This was her revenge. It was a hollow victory of sorts, she couldn't tell anyone about it. That would spoil the secret, the knowledge that she had the power to keep to herself. Besides, she would just be punished again if she came clean now. The sai would probably be confiscated, just like her katana. The one her grandfather had given her, the one she had won her last two Iai competitions with, the one her father had said she dishonoured with her touch. He had let her keep her shinai; he had even given her a ninja-to to replace the katana. They were weapons that couldn't be disgraced by the touch of a woman, in her father's opinion anyway. Not that she could dishonour a peasant weapon like a sai, but she now understood a little more of the relationship between the 'turtle' gang and her own. She was sure her father would love to get his hands on it given who its' owner was.

The owner; she shuddered slightly, remembering the warmth of his hand and the chill of his blade on her neck. She had no doubt he had meant his threat; she was dead. Well she wasn't about to go down without a fight. Before she had gained the sai she had felt so powerless, she'd lost all control over her life during the past few months. It was high time she started to fight back. Not against her father, she wasn't that stupid. No, she'd take the fight to her enemy; if she was gonna die that at least would happen on her terms.

A humourless laugh escaped her. In the last couple of days since the tournament she had gotten braver, cheekier, or more stupid, and she wasn't sure which. She had snuck out of the apartment to explore the gang's headquarters more thoroughly. In the basement of the building, adjacent to the warehouse that was the gang's gathering point, she had found a huge treasure trove of gear stored. There were heaps of weapons, mainly Asian style stuff. But some of it was modern; weird looking guns and other objects she couldn't even guess the functions of. Everything had been neatly labelled with bar-coded tags. She didn't dare move anything for fear of her excursion being discovered.

Next she had found hundreds of boxes containing dark coloured jackets and pants, tabi style boots and masks. The jackets all had a symbol on them she recognised, it belonged to a 'business partner' of her gang who had been incarcerated for life just after she had arrived in New York. The masks were strange, like nothing she had seen before. They had 'buggy' eyes on them that were impossible to see through from the outside. Curiosity had gotten the better of her and she was surprised when she tried one on that they actually enhanced her vision in the gloom.

That was when she had gotten her plan, such as it was. She was sure that no one would miss one uniform out of the thousands that were there. It wasn't like the guy who owned them was gonna need them anytime soon anyway. So she had smuggled one back to her room. Once she had the whole uniform on she'd felt a thrill of excitement. If her enemy didn't kill her, her father surely would if he had any idea of what she was up to. Before she could have any sane second thoughts she had snatched up the sai and her ninja-to and snuck out of the building onto the roof. She had spent most of the night leaping about on roof tops; she hadn't felt so free for ages. Besides, she had no idea where to actually find her enemy. That had been last night, and she was planning to do the same tonight.

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"Nice night" commented Don, gazing up at the full moon. "Yeah" answered Mike "do we have to head home right away, Leo?" The four mutants were taking a breather on a rooftop, the warm summer night making them sweat under the trench-coats and hats they wore. April and Casey's new apartment was in a nice modern building, but it didn't have the old style fire escapes up the outside, and it was at least three stories taller than the other buildings surrounding it. This meant the easiest way for the turtles to visit their friends was to surreptitiously enter and exit the building via the lobby. "I guess we can hang for a while, it is a nice night, just keep alert OK?" Leo made a circuit of the rooftop, around the spot his brothers had chosen to lounge on the cool concrete. "Gees Leo, just relax for a minute would ya?" Raph scolded. Leo shot him a stern look, and then perched on top of an air-conditioning duct, close to his brothers.

"So what d'ya think the chances are of April 'n' Casey getting married?" asked Mike with a grin. Don gave him a dubious look "They've only just moved in together, Mike. I think it might be a while before they take a step like that." "Why, they've liked each other for ages" pouted Mike. "Guess it depends on whether she kills 'im anytime soon" commented Raph. The three shared a smirk. It had been obvious over dinner that Casey still had the knack of saying just what April didn't want to hear, though she was a bit softer in her reprimands than she had been in the past.

"Who d'ya think Casey would ask to be best man?" asked Mike, undeterred. "Me of course" stated Raph. "Why you?" Mike demanded. "'Cos I'm his best friend, duh!" "Well maybe, but your terrible at telling jokes, so you'd be no good. He should ask me." Don rolled his eyes as he reached out to hold Raphs' arm back, "It probably won't be any of us." "Why not?" The other two asked in unison. "Well, from what I can tell weddings are usually a pretty big deal. You know with all the relatives and such. It would be tough for us to even be there without being spotted, let alone give a speech." "Bummer" muttered Mike as he slouched lower, resting back on his elbows.

Leo shook his head as he looked up from the conversation below. "Damn!" he cursed under his breath as he leapt to his feet, drawing his katana. Instantly his three brothers were on their feet, weapons drawn, looking in the direction of Leo's gaze. A lone foot soldier stood on the parapet of the next roof top, holding a sheathed sword in one hand. All the turtles briefly glanced around for the inevitable army they expected to appear. Nothing moved. As their attention refocused on the lone figure, the soldier drew a sai from within their jacket and held it up by its' shaft, the red banding on the handle clear to see. "I keep my promises" her tone seemed to hold a challenge. Raph accepted it as he shoved past Mike, "So do I, bitch!" He leapt across the divide with a growl and dove at the soldier who had retreated from the edge a little, readying for the impact from her adversary.

Don and Mike moved to help their brother, but Leo jumped down blocking their way. "Dude!" protested Mike. "Just let him handle this on his own, alright? If he looks like he's in trouble we're here to help, but for now spread out and make sure no-one else can catch us off-guard." With a nod the three separated, blending into the shadows surrounding the roof top where their brother battled.

Raph ploughed his shoulder into the girls' midriff, knocking her onto her back despite the block she attempted. His sai went skittering out of her hand, so he flipped over her to retrieve it. He spun them both as he straightened; an evil grin emerged on his face, he felt whole again. He turned to watch her pick her-self up and draw her sword, keeping hold of the scabbard in her other hand. She took up a defensive stance before raising her head to meet his glare. She seemed to do a double take, and Raph realised he'd lost his hat during his flip. Taking advantage of her distraction he launched a furious attack, using both sais to the full. She managed to deflect most of his strikes with her sword and scabbard, but couldn't break through with any hits of her own.

This was turning out to be a great night in Raph's opinion. He'd finally gotten his sai back; the girl that had taken it was a foot soldier, so losing it in the first place suddenly didn't seem so bad since she was obviously better trained than he had originally guessed; and now he was thoroughly enjoying making her pay for taking his property. The only problem was she was paying a little too easily. She didn't seem to be moving nearly as quickly as he remembered she could.

It suddenly occurred to Raph that it may not be the same girl, she had a similar build, but he couldn't see her face because of the mask. He managed to sweep her legs out from under her and pinned her to the floor with a sai flat across her shoulder. Kneeling over her he put all his weight onto her shoulder to hold her still, then tucked his other sai securely in his belt. He ripped off her mask with his free hand and face faulted in shock. It was her, but the left side of her face and neck were covered in ugly welts, the pain reflected in her eyes and the way she was trying to hold her body off the concrete hinted the damage wasn't just confined to her face. She had obviously pissed off someone else who had already made her pay.

"What the…?" "Now you know why I couldn't make it back" she accused. He just looked at her, confused. "My father thought the bruise you gave me on my neck was a hicky, you idiot!" Raph felt sorry for her, but she was blaming him now? "Hey, it's not my faul, ugh!" She had managed to flick her legs up to knee him in the side of the head. It wasn't a strong blow, but enough make him rock back. She rolled away from him and stood, wincing and looking a little shaky. Raph remained kneeling, not knowing quite what to do. He still wanted revenge over his sai, but realising she had been beaten had shaken him.

She took the advantage. He barely blocked her sword thrust, misjudging the length of the blade that was a good foot shorter than the katanas he was used to defending against. She quickly followed through with a blow to his head from her scabbard. It was enough to break the skin above his eye. Raph rolled over backwards, putting some distance between them. She charged as he stood, though he quickly turned the tables and had her on the defensive again. He found himself pulling his punches a little, trying to tire her instead of hurt her seriously; it really didn't seem like a fair fight. She made it difficult though, every time he eased up a little she would try to push an attack. It was becoming pretty obvious who was going to win, she was visibly shaking now, though she wouldn't quit.

He beat her back again; then stepped away, waiting for her to surrender. After a few ragged breaths she came at him again. He evaded her strokes and landed a solid kick to her gut. She collapsed on all fours, retching and struggling for breath. The few strands of hair that had escaped from the bun on her nape were stuck to her cheek with sweat. Raph was sure she wouldn't be able to get up again any time soon.

Every muscle ached, her blood pounding in her ears, and she was trembling so badly she could barely lift her head. She tried, but could only get far enough to see three pairs of green feet join the one who had fought her. She also saw the tip of a katana. "This is it. I hope they use the sword" she thought "much quicker and cleaner than using a sai." She let her head fall again, awaiting the inevitable. A few minutes later she raised her head again, wondering why they were taking so long. They were gone. She curled up on the rough concrete and wept.


	4. Chapter 4

A/N: Many thanks to The REAL Cheese Monkey and artykidd for your reviews! I haven't had many reviews for my stories yet, and I am starting to get worried. Love to know what you think. I can take it, good, bad or ugly! The only word I dread is 'boring', though if this is the case then I defiantly need to know!

Disclaimer: I don't own the TMNT, or any related characters (much to their relief, I'm sure!) If there is anything else in this story you recognise from somewhere else, then I don't own that either.

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The two weeks of Raph's undergrounding were almost over, the only time he had been allowed topside was the night they had gone to dinner at April and Casey's. Raph loved his brothers, but being stuck with Mike's teasing and Leo's interrogations over his 'girlfriend', as Mike had dubbed her, had almost driven him mad. Even Don had bugged him with questions, especially after he'd caught Raph looking up 'hicky' on the net. He would never admit it, but he was hugely grateful that Don didn't tell Mikey about that, especially once he'd found out what a hicky was! The really annoying thing was even though he told them the truth, that he knew squat about her, they just couldn't seem to accept it. It was like they thought he was hiding something.

Thankfully Splinter hadn't pushed him for more information after his first bare bones explanation of what had happened on their return home that night. "I lost a sai in that fight I had coupla weeks ago with some punks. I saw this chick pick it up. I tracked her down a few nights ago and asked her to give it back, and tonight she did." That was Raph's story, short 'n' sweet, and he wasn't about to embellish it. "So what's her name?" "Dunno." "What d'ya mean 'dunno'?" "I DON'T KNOW" "So ya gonna see her again?" "Dunno" "What d'ya mean…" "MIKEY, I do know I'm gonna belt ya if you say that again!" "Alright, alright… so… what star sign is she?" "DAMN IT, MIKE!" The heat that had flushed Raph's face went straight to his head as he chased his all too nimble brother from the table, intent on bloody murder. Splinter and Leo shared a pained look as Don had left to ensure his latest projects were well out of harms way. Things had gone downhill from there.

As luck would have it, on the last night before Raph's punishment ended, Casey invited himself over to the lair. "So dude, where's April?" enquired Mike. "She's gone out on a damn hen's night for some chick she went to school with." muttered Casey, restlessly pacing in front of the TVs. "What the heck is a 'hen's night', didn't know Ape was into chickens?" Mike asked with a cheeky grin. Casey scowled at him "It's a girly thing, ya know, they all get together for a 'big night out' before one of 'em gets married. There just better not be any strippers…" Casey trailed off, looking like he wanted to throttle something. "Strippers! Hehehe…" Mike held up his hands to ward off Casey's advance. "Hey chill dude, I just thought that since it's a 'girly thing' that Raph's girlfriend might've liked to go…" Mike leapt over the back of the couch as Raph joined the advance from the chair he'd been lazing in "but if there are gonna be strippers, she probably wouldn't be his girl for long! Not once she realised there are better things than his ugly mug out there… " Mike's sentence trailed over his shoulder, he was already off and running. "DAMN IT, MIKE! She is NOT my bloody GIRLFRIEND!" Raph vaulted the couch in hot pursuit.

Casey shot Leo an incredulous look "Raph's got a girlfriend?" "No, not really" Leo answered once he had finished rolling his eyes. "Not that Mike would let a little thing like facts get in the way of a good joke." sighed Don, as he sat in the recently vacated chair. He winced as he heard something crash, something that obviously had a domino effect on it's surrounds as the clatter continued for a few moments. "He got into a fight with a girl over one of his sais a couple of weeks ago." continued Leo. "I don't think it was really serious, he got it back in the end." "Raph lost a sai? To a girl?"

Casey looked shocked, then his face split with a grin. He leapt off the ledge behind the couch and into Raph's trajectory as he chased his brother in another lap of the dojo. "What the… Casey get the hell outta my way!" "YOU lost a sai? To a GIRL?" Casey ducked the punch clumsily, too busy holding his sides with laughter to do any better. "Grr, laugh it up loser!" Raph launched himself on Casey, quickly wrestling him to the ground. Hearing Mike's laughter behind him, Raph left his first victim and downed his brother quickly. Mike couldn't react fast enough to escape, being doubled over with glee. Not one to pull out of a fight, Casey launched himself back into the fray…

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"Damn fucking brothers…, damn fucking 'friends'…, what the fuck do they know anyway?" Raph kicked a crumpled can down the alley, hearing it ricochet off the walls for a good distance. He started looking through the trash overflowing from the dumpster for another projectile. "Damn sensei! How the hell could he blame me? They started it for fuck's sake…" Another can made a noisy journey down the alley. "'Just ignore your brother's jests' yeah great fucking idea that. If he didn't keep openin' that great trap of his, I wouldn't have ta keep shutin' it. Then Case getting his two bits in, some fucking friend he is. An' it's not like I asked wonder-boy and brainiac to join in either. Ugh, fuck it! Gross!" The next can hadn't been empty, until Raph had knocked it onto its side prior to launch, its sticky contents coating his other foot.

He was still hopping on one foot, muttering an impressive variety of curses, desperately looking for something to clean his offended limb with when he caught sight of movement further down the alley. He hadn't bothered grabbing his trench coat when he stormed out of the lair, and quite frankly he didn't care. If anybody took offence to him tonight, they wouldn't be in any fit state to talk about it afterwards. A dark form left the deep shadow that covered one side of the passage. Raph tensed into a ready stance, sais half drawn.

"Have yer gotta a quarter fer an ol' man sonny?" The old bum lurched unsteadily along the opposite wall. "Damn it. No I don't…, er… sorry." Raph retreated into the deeper shadow next to the dumpster. He watched warily as the old guy shuffled past him without so much as a glance his way, grumbling, and smelling strongly of spirits and urine. Raph turned and stepped back out into the alley to watch the old guy wander onto the side walk. At least he seemed lucid enough to veer away before he stepped onto the tarmac of the street. Raph felt a small pang of guilt; he had probably woken the old man with his racket.

A short distance back down the alley Raph found a fire escape and quickly swung himself up to the roof. What he needed now was a tap, if he could find a water tower he might be in luck. He detested the way his foot felt sticking to the rough surface, the cloying feeling between his toes. It didn't take him long to find what he was looking for. As he was busy washing away the gunk he started at the sound of pigeons fluttering away from the far side of the roof. Looking up he recognised the lone figure stood there. It was her. There was no mistaking it; she wasn't wearing a mask this time.

"You lied to me." she accused in a low voice. "What the hell are you talking about?" Raph snapped, after recent events he was less than thrilled at seeing her again. "You said you were gonna kill me, and you didn't. You lied." "So, what of it?" This girl was nuts, so he hadn't killed her, why did she sound so pissed off about it? He dropped into a defensive stance, sais at the ready, as she drew her sword. Again she kept hold of the scabbard in her left hand. With an ugly sneer she muttered "If you can't trust your friggin' enemies…YAAH!" She launched a fierce attack.

She moved a damn sight quicker this time. Despite concentrating on the combat it registered in Raph's mind that she must have recovered from her wounds. For some reason he felt glad at that. "At least this time it's gonna be a fair fight!" he challenged as he pushed her back. She growled in response as she attacked again. As the battle raged across the rooftop Raph found he was enjoying himself immensely. Despite her speed, he could have ended the fight pretty quickly if he chose. But a good scrap with no relatives to impose their will on the situation was doing wonders to ease the frustration he felt. Besides, she still wasn't gonna give up easily and the more he grinned at her the wilder her attacks became, making the fight even more fun.

"Heh! You're goin' down!" Raph leapt the sweep she made to his legs. "Nope, you are!" she answered with a manic smirk of her own. Too late Raph realised he had landed on a cracked section of the rampart, causing him to teeter precariously over the drop below. She held up her scabbard for him to see, then quickly poked him in the chest, grinning as he lost his balance. Her expression changed to one of alarm as he toppled backwards over the edge. Dropping one of his sai he grabbed for the scabbard she still held in front of her, managing to get a good grip on the leather. The sageo was wrapped around her wrist and she was almost dragged over the edge as his weight wrenched her onto the concrete. The impact forced her to drop her sword on the roof as she scrambled for a better grip. They shared a look of pure panic as the parapet began to crumble under the strain. With a quick, desperate glance around Raph saw a thick drainage pipe running down the side of the building, only a foot or so out of his reach. He swiftly sheathed his remaining sai and kicked off from the wall making a grab for it as his momentum dislodged the last of the crumbling barrier. He got a hold and braced himself to take the weight of the screaming girl plummeting past him.

They tried to suppress their coughs as the dust cleared. After a glance at the debris in the alley below she looked up at him with a silent plea not to let her fall. Before he could think, an ominous creaking sounded from the pipe. "Oh no…" he whispered, then "HOLD ON!" as the pipe came away from the wall above him. It slowly bent away from the building in a long curve from its support just below them, dangling them out above the alley. It held for a long moment, and then with another tortured creak the support gave way. The pipe bent further out over the alley, the increased strain ripping the next support from the wall almost instantly. The third support was stronger, causing the pipe to buckle under the load and swing them back against the wall. Raph lost his grip on the pipe at the impact, and they both dropped the remaining couple of meters to the ground.

They stumbled away from each other as they landed, her scabbard being dragged behind her over the rubble. Raph leant against the wall and took a few deep breaths to recover, then turned to check on the girl. She was leaning on her knees, pale and shaking, wide eyes staring at him. "I… I'm so sorry,…I didn't mean to,… God what was I thinking, I nearly killed you!" "Wasn't that what you were tryin' ta do?" "No, I was trying to… damn, I don't know!" She fell to her knees, trying to stifle sobs with her hands over her face.

Raph rubbed his aching shoulders and fetched his fallen sai from the debris, by some miracle it had only suffered a few small scratches, though the banding on the handle was ripped so badly it was gonna need replacing. After a few moments she managed to get herself under control and look back up at him. "I really am sorry; I haven't done this kind of thing before. I mean I've fought before, but only in competitions and stuff. I never thought I'd ever kill anyone…" She dropped her gaze back to the floor, her mouth hanging open. It looked like she was gonna be sick. He moved to stand beside her, as much to avoid any possible mess as anything else.

He did feel sorry for her though, memories of blood from some of the crucial battles he'd fought made him shiver slightly. "Well ya haven't managed to kill anyone yet." She looked up at him again, almost expectantly. "Just do me a favour, next time ya don't want to kill me, don't push me over the edge…, deal?" She smiled weakly. "Deal." He returned the smile and held out a hand to help her to her feet.

As she rose their eyes met and locked briefly in a shared shock of emotion. Raph found himself still gripping her hand between them, although she no longer needed his support. Some part of him didn't want to let go, indeed started urging him to pull her closer. He stepped back quickly from the strange sensation, dropping her hand to turn away. "What the..?" he thought, his mind racing to find a logical reason for the feelings. What was it, fear? No way. Definitely not, despite the sudden shakiness he felt. Relief? Maybe, yeah, of course! They had very nearly met their end; it was just reaction to what had happened, concern that she was gonna be OK after the fall. "God Case would have a field day if he could see me bein' this soft." he muttered to himself.

He turned back to check on the girl again, hoping she wasn't staring at him like he was a lunatic. She wasn't; she was occupied trying to loosen the sageo that had cut quite badly into her left wrist, the scabbard hindering her efforts with its weight. Her movements seemed a bit jerky, and he was suddenly afraid she was gonna panic. A flush had started on her face and neck. He reached out to help her, but she pulled her arm away from his grasp.

"I can do it" she muttered a little defensively. Raph gave her an annoyed look, then grabbed her arm above the damage to her wrist. A brief tug of war ensued over the limb; Raph winning by tugging her so hard she stumbled into him. Ignoring the slight uneasiness the contact seemed to cause he locked the top of her arm between his bicep and side, freeing both his hands to work on the tangled cord. He could feel her breath warm on his neck, her entrapment holding her against his shell. She gasped quietly a couple of times as he worked, increasing the warmth he could feel starting to infuse his face.

He wasn't trying to hurt her, but he was actually enjoying having some control over this girl. The stiffness he could feel in her body was a warning she wouldn't stand this situation for long, it was like a challenge and that he did understand. He finally freed her wrist of the cord and dropped the scabbard to the ground. "Thanks." she murmured, trying to pull her arm loose. He tugged it back again, tightening his grip, and leaned over slightly to inspect the wound. It wasn't too serious, but still looked pretty nasty. She grunted as she was pulled harder against his carapace.

"Let me look" a command, not a request, as she tried to pull free again. "No." he casually threw over his shoulder. "What? Give me back my damn arm so I can look." She tried pulling even harder. "No." he couldn't help grinning. He didn't have to look at her face to sense the glower she gave him. "Why the hell not?" She was pushing on his shell with her free hand now, trying to give her struggles more impetus. "Hmm… let's see, I have an unarmed enemy trapped 'n' tagged, an' she wants to know why I won't let her go?"

"Grrr, I'll give you 'enemy'!" She grabbed the knot to his bandana and yanked it roughly sideways, effectively blinding him. "DAMN IT!" he let her go to reset his mask, leaping away as he did so just in case she tried anything else. Glaring back at her she hadn't moved, except to start massaging her left shoulder. She looked up from a brief inspection of her damaged wrist, and then gave him a cheeky grin. With her pale face, red rimmed eyes, and her hair starting to escape her pony tail to trail down her front, she looked positively evil. "Told ya to let go." They locked glares again, her eyes reflecting the heat of his gaze. It was a challenge, she was goading him, and he never backed down from a fight. He did pause however, not really knowing the rules for this match. They seemed to have formed an antagonistic truce of sorts, how far could he push it before they became true enemies again?

"Are you sure about this?" "Yeah, yeah I'm sure I heard something from down here. You're not too scared to check it out are ya?" "NO, course not." Laughter echoed from what sounded like a large group of punks approaching a corner in the alley nearby. Both Raph and the girl started at the noise, quickly glancing towards its source. "Shit, Dragons. Run!" she hissed. She gave him a final look for a moment, fear showing clearly in her eyes. Then she scooped up her scabbard and ran down the alley, away from the approaching voices. Raph was momentarily confused, wasn't she a 'Dragon'? No time for answers now. He bolted down the alley after her.

He almost skidded past the manhole cover. He yanked it open, using a sai for leverage. Looking round quickly for the girl he saw her already heading up a fire escape further down the alley. She was scaling the ladder awkwardly, her shoulder obviously causing her trouble, but she didn't make a sound. He leapt down and closed the cover just before the first punk cautiously rounded the corner. Raph didn't leave straight away, wanting to listen to what the punks had to say through the small holes in the metal above him.

"So, anythin' here?" "Doesn't look like… hang on that pipes busted over there, look." "Ooohhh, a busted pipe, really scary!" A couple of the punks laughed. "Well you know the orders, check out anything suspicious." "Yeah, an' I see rusty ol' pipes on 'Law 'n' Order' every fuckin' night, yer just can't trust 'em!" More punks laughed this time. "Fuck you! You'd all be laughin' out the other side of yer faces if it _was_ one o' them freaks, not that we'd ever find one with all the damn noise you lot make." "You really wanna find one?" the jokester queried. "Hell yeah, Hun's put the bounty up to twenty five grand now, so long as ya get one alive. You can get a long way with that kinda scratch." "Only if yer in one piece to enjoy it, you wouldn't stand a damn chance of catching one of 'em" "That's why you lot are with me, idiot." "You're the damn idiot if you think I'd fight one for your sake…"

The rest of the conversation was lost to Raph as the punks wandered back out of the alley the way they had come. Once he was sure they had all left he lifted the cover to quickly scout out the area. The girl was nowhere to be seen.


	5. Chapter 5

A/N: This chapter is dedicated to The REAL Cheese Monkey. Thank you so much for all your support!

Disclaimer: I don't own the TMNT, or any related characters (much to their relief, I'm sure!) If there is anything else in this story you recognise from somewhere else, then I don't own that either.

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He loved summer. Most of the storm drains dried out enough to create a skaters dream, although the smell was usually worse. "Oh well, can't win 'em all" he mused, easily avoiding a pile of refuse that emerged out of the gloom as he sped along. Recently Don had figured out some way of adapting the hard rubber wheels so they didn't make as much noise running over the uneven surfaces of their underground world. Although the wheels still performed as well as before, and their need for secrecy was still as high a priority as ever, he did miss the racket the old wheels had made.

It was the first Wednesday in July. New comic day! He was making his weekly pilgrimage to a comic store; hoping the latest issue of Spiderman would be in. Thankfully his brothers had given up on this tradition ages ago or supposedly grown out of it. However, he did catch them sneaking off with the odd issue on occasion, and still made sure to get their favourites. Well maybe not always sneaking, last week Raph had stalked into his room, threatened him with dire death if he said a word and taken a pile of Batman comics to read " Just 'cos I'm bored an' sick a bein' grounded an' Leo's hogging the heavy punch bag, again!" Funny though, he had known exactly where they were piled amid the chaos.

Mike skidded to a halt at a branch in the tunnel. "Hmmm… I suppose I should head down town, but Cindy might be back from her trip. Yup, Mort's Comic Emporium it is then!" He straightened his trench coat, settled his hat firmly on his head, and propelled his skateboard in the direction of 'Mort's' with a grin.

Visits to comic stores had started years before, once Splinter had realised that the colourful images and avid storylines had kept his sons interested in learning to read, more so than the other tattered books they had collected. It was also an introduction to interacting with humans without being discovered, and the value of money. To this end they had found a few different stores and visited each randomly, so as to minimise suspicion. Now that he was making the trips on his own, he had started to circumvent this rule a little. After all, despite not heading to the same store every week he was still considered a 'regular' at every comic store within a 10 mile radius of the lair. Besides, he reasoned, none of their enemies would be into comics, so wouldn't think of surveying these stores for mutants.

Over the past few months he had become much more of a 'regular' at Mort's store. Cindy was the store owner's daughter; she worked the till on her days off from Uni. Luckily Wednesday, the same day new release comics were delivered, was one of those days. She was a leggy brunette who had a fondness for mini skirts and crop tops. She wasn't really into comics, but she did have a great sense of humour. They had developed a running 'lame joke' competition lately, and Mike couldn't help giggling to himself as he thought over his arsenal for today.

It was almost closing time, the evening starting to encroach on the city. The light not quite faded enough to start turning on lights. Cindy started to count the till. The store was usually pretty empty this time of day, the main afternoon rush hour come and gone. There were only a couple of customers that ever bothered turning up this late. She had found that the store essentially had two kinds of customers; most liked to browse or waste time wandering through the icons of their youth; the rest knew exactly what they wanted, a quick duck in and out, probably before they were spotted by a passing work mate. She didn't really care for the vast majority of them. The few that actually acknowledged her existence as a human being only did so to either hit on her or be hugely shocked when she didn't instantly figure out the exact issue of Cyberswine they were trying to find from their vague descriptions. Like she knew the content of every comic ever published!

There was one customer she was hoping would turn up soon though. He was a sweet kid, with an infectious laugh. He usually turned up late on a Wednesday. He was a little weird, but compared to some of the freaks that she'd met in this store, he was tame! He always wore a battered long coat and fedora, even inside; he was so short she'd never gotten a good look at his face. Or his hands, he had a knack of leaving his money on the counter in a moment she wasn't looking, and she had tried hard to catch him at it. She figured it was just a silly game, like their jokes.

The bell over the door jangled as he entered. He did a fairly quick round of the store, pausing briefly at the Marvel stand to curse quietly. She just couldn't hide her grin as he headed for the counter. "So ya got a good one today, huh?" He asked, the comics he'd grabbed materialising on the bench top along with a couple of notes. "Uh huh, and some good news too, some for you, some for me." "Really? Like what?" "Why don't blind people skydive?" "Dunno" she could hear the smile in his voice. "Because it scares the crap outta their dogs!" They both giggled for a moment. "So, what's your news?" "Oh no you don't, come on lets hear yours first." "Hehe, OK. What's the last thing ta go through a bugs mind when he hits a windshield?" "Surprise me." "His butt!" They giggled again.

"By the way, you owe me an extra buck, if you want your good news that is." "Huh?" "I saved you a copy!" He all but danced with excitement as she produced the latest Spiderman issue and placed it on the counter. "Awesome!" He started to wriggle as he ransacked his pockets; it was obviously a futile effort, as that was where his hands invariably were anyway. "Oh, damn, I don't have a buck. Gees, guess I'll just leave the Phantom for this week." He sounded so heartbroken she couldn't resist. "Well I guess I can let it slide, just this once OK?" "Really? Oh, wow babe! You are the greatest! Thanks!" All the comics quickly disappeared into the front of his coat, his hand back in his pocket before she could barely register the movement through her grin.

"So aren't you gonna ask me what my good news is?" "Huh? Oh, yeah, what is it?" She presented her hand with a dramatic flourish; a huge diamond glittering on her finger. "My boyfriend _finally_ got the guts to propose on our trip last week." "OH! Uh…, hey that's great! Congratulations!" "Thanks!" She cupped her hand back in her own, studying the gem. "I still can't quite believe it." "Well, um,… I hope he makes you happy." She smiled at him again. "Oh, that's so sweet. I knew you'd be happy for me." "Yeah, 'course. Well I'd better let you close up, huh?" "OK, I'll see ya later, take care now." "Yeah. See ya…um…later…"

Mike wandered dejectedly down the sidewalk. Usually he sped home quick as could be so he could read a couple of his new comics before dinner. But today he wasn't in any hurry. "It's no big deal" he muttered to himself. "It's not like ya had any real chance anyway…" It wasn't often he felt this glum, he could usually think of something to cheer himself up. But nothing was coming to him right now. He couldn't even look forward to teasing Raph anymore. Sensei had banned any mention of girls during the extra three weeks of detention Raph had earned for storming out before his last lot was finished. On top of that Raph had been made responsible for all of the chores around the lair while he was grounded. Mikey wasn't looking forward to dinner either.

He entered the alley, still meandering slowly and starting to wonder if it was too late for him to bum a meal from April and Casey. At least it wouldn't be burnt. Mike was considering the possibility of convincing his father that cooking was an art, not a chore, so they wouldn't all be poisoned over the next few weeks as he turned a corner. The manhole cover was behind this building. He stopped in surprise, a leering punk was stood on his exit, baseball bat in hand and a small army gathered in the gloom behind him. Mike backed up "Er, sorry guys, wrong turn, heh." As he spun to leave another platoon of punks started to fill the entrance to the alley. "Oh shit. Bad day." "Not for us, freak!" the guy with the bat bellowed as the two forces descended upon the mutant.

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He woke, and the pain hit him. He had fought pretty well; it had taken them a good ten minutes to overwhelm him. But they had just kept coming, and judging by the amount of cuts and bruises he felt now he didn't think they had stopped as soon as he had lost consciousness either. He warily opened an eye, shutting it quickly against the bright light that assaulted him. Adjusting to the brightness slowly he managed to look around. He was alone, naked, in a cage built with one side a concrete wall, the rest thick bars. Along the opposite wall there were lockers and a bench where his gear had been dumped. To the left of the cage there were entrances to a tiled area; on the other side were a set of double doors. There were no windows, although the chill draught from the overhead air conditioning ducts was helping to clear his head, even as it added to the stiffness in his muscles.

He tried to sit up, and realised his wrists were shackled together with three links of thick chain between them. A second chain lead from the centre link to a metal ring embedded in the middle of the concrete wall. "To be sure, to be sure" he muttered to himself, managing to push himself up to sit, propped against the bars near the double doors. He started as he heard a quiet click from behind him. He managed to stand, if a bit shakily, to see a young girl slip through the door. She was pretty small, with long hair tied back in a pony tail. She was wearing a black cotton shirt that was obviously a size too big, the cuffs sitting over her hands and the bottom almost reaching her knees as it wasn't tucked in. Underneath she had on faded jeans and well worn brown boots, kinda like hiking boots. He thought he'd seen her face before, but where?

She closed the door quietly and then turned to face him, arms crossed with a defiant look. "Who the hell are you?" he croaked past his swollen lips. She was taken aback. Then her face softened for a moment, she looked relieved? She hid the expression so quickly behind her defiant look again he couldn't be sure. "A 'Dragon' of course, just curious to see what you look like in the light." "Well this aint a friggin' zoo, lady." He returned her fierce look. Her eyes softened again. "Sorry, I don't mean to make you even more uncomfortable." He couldn't help but scoff and she looked away as she continued. "But I was… I have only seen you guys in the dark before." Her defiant look returned again.

He didn't bother to answer, still trying to think of where they had met before. "Heh, you know when I first heard about a 'turtle' gang, I was kinda expecting just another load of goons, not actual turtles. Gees, just thought you wore green or something, easier than damn tattoos that's for sure. How the hell do turtles manage to learn martial arts and go leaping about on rooftops for goodness sake?" It finally clicked where he had seen her before.

"You didn't know we were turtles? But you've been fightin' Raph haven't you?" Her brow furrowed. "Raph?" Mike gave her an incredulous look "Yeah, you know Raph-a-el, my brother." She actually looked a little stunned. "Oh, so that's his name. Yeah, well I did kinda figure it out the last couple of times we met…" Mike shook his head in disbelief. "You really didn't know his name? Gees, does he know yours?" She shot him a dirty look. "No I didn't, we haven't exactly been exchanging pleasantries you know. Come to think of it, I don't think he knows my name either…" He couldn't help but laugh, wincing at the hurt it caused. "What?" She demanded. "Oh, hehe, …nothing, I just thought he knew it is all. So, like, what is your name then?" She fidgeted for a moment; then murmured "It's Tausha. What's yours?" "Michelangelo, but the babes call me Mikey!" He grinned and winced again. She raised an eyebrow at him, a small smile starting to play on her lips. "Really?" Mike nodded as he patted his face gingerly, trying in vain to stop the aches.

Her smile vanished into a frown. Without a word she walked around the cage and disappeared into the tiled area. Mike heard a tap running briefly. She reappeared with a couple of towels over her right arm; her sleeve had been rolled up past her elbow, and a paper cup. She offered him the cup through the bars. It was his turn to raise an eye ridge, unsure whether to trust her. "It's just water" she assured, a little impatiently. Mike walked over and took the offering, giving it a quick sniff before he took a sip. There didn't seem to be anything wrong with it and his thirst won over his concern. He downed the rest of the water in gulps. Tausha took back the cup and handed him one of the towels instead. The towel was damp and it felt good to wipe off some of the blood and grime. Starting with his face he ran the cloth over his body as best he could. He handed it back once it was too covered in muck to be of any more use. Tausha swapped it for the second towel, this one was dry. Mike was glad of that, the dampness was refreshing, but the extra chill had already started some of his bruised muscles twinging in protest.

Once he gave back the towel she disappeared into the bathroom once more. When she returned she was only carrying the cup, she offered it to him again. This time he took it and drank without hesitation. "Thanks." He gave her a warm smile, with only a small wince. Tausha smiled back. "No problem." She took the empty cup and tossed it deftly into a bin by the lockers.

"So what is the deal with you an' Raph then?" "Huh? There is no 'deal'. We just fight every now 'n' then." "Why?" "I dunno. He started it." She started inspecting a spot on the floor. "That's not how he tells it, and you stole his sai." Mike accused cheekily. Her head snapped up furiously at that. "I DID NOT _steal_ his damn sai! Gees what did he expect me to do, just leave it there for someone else to pick up? Fuck 'im, if I hadn't of taken it he never would have got it back!" She stalked back around the cage, heading for the doors on the other side. Mike was shocked by her outburst, then realising she was about to leave, launched himself after her. "Hey! I'm sorry, please don't go." She paused, ready to push the handle and gave him a questioning look. Mike looked a little sheepish. "I just don't wanna be left alone" he muttered to the floor. Tausha's face softened again and she stepped closer to the bars in front of Mike. Quietly she asked "You know I can't do anything else to help you, right?" "Yeah, I know, you've done heaps already. It's just nice to know that someone here doesn't want me dead." They shared a sad smile.

They both jumped as voices sounded outside the double doors. "Shit!" Tausha cursed as she spun, backing into the bars of the cage. The doors were flung open as Hun and a few other punks entered the room. Hun did a double-take, seeing Tausha there. "What the hell are you doing here?" She cowered against the cage as he stood over her. "Nu,…Nuthin'. I was just curious…" "Well get out, I don't want to see you in here again, got it?" "Y… yeah." She shot Mike a look as Hun turned away, but he was too busy trying to fend off the goons that were muscling him up against the wall to notice. Hun started to wrap his knuckles in linen strips as he entered the cage. "I can't believe I've finally got one of you freaks to play with. It's time you started to pay for what you did to the master." "Hey, don't ya take American Express?" "Heh heh, no I think I'd prefer payment the old fashioned way." Hun noticed the girl hadn't moved yet. "Tausha, out, now!" She nodded and bolted for the door.

She stopped just down the hall, hugging the wall. "The old fashioned way? Get with the times why don'cha? UGH!" Mike didn't get a chance to say anything else that Tausha could hear. Not over the sickening sounds of knuckles on flesh, the odd sharper thwacks she guessed were strikes to his front, and the jeers of the punks. Suddenly a tune started playing, a mobile ring tone? It was one of those boppy kinda dance tunes, she hadn't heard it as a ring tone before, but recognised it as Lollipop by Aqua. It became obvious pretty quickly that no one was gonna stop the proceedings to answer it. Hearing the thuds and grunts over the upbeat music was more than she could bear. Tausha fled.


	6. Chapter 6

Disclaimer: I don't own the TMNT, or any related characters (much to their relief, I'm sure!) If there is anything else in this story you recognise from somewhere else, then I don't own that either.

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There was a carnival atmosphere in the warehouse. Hundreds of punks filled the floor and gantries; whooping, fooling about and showing off with all manner of hand held weapons, and gossiping about the fun they were expecting to have soon. On the raised section in the middle of the floor that was usually reserved for 'entertainment', Hun was overseeing the distribution of an array of munitions, and barking commands to bring some order to the chaos milling about him.

It had taken Tausha around thirty minutes to get up the courage to leave her apartment again. She figured forty had ticked by since she had first fled until she found her self sneaking back into the warehouse through the passage that joined the two buildings. She had ducked into the shadows under one of the gantry stairs. It was another five minutes before she spotted Hun leaving the basement stairwell with his entourage of helpers. She hadn't seen him look so pleased in ages; the thought of what he had enjoyed made her feel sick.

Once Hun was occupied with his preparations she cautiously made her way through the throng to the basement stairwell. It wasn't too difficult, most of the punks just ignored her anyway, and one of Hun's first orders was to send Dragon Face and quite a few others out to scout for the rest of the turtles. She managed to hop down the stairs without arousing any curiosity from those stood nearby. The double doors were closed again, and she stood with her back leaning lightly against them for a moment. What the hell was she doing? She was gonna get herself in serious trouble if she was caught. Did she really want to see the extent of what had happened? What if he was dead? Or perhaps worse, what if he wasn't? Steeling herself with a deep breath she slipped through the doors and saw… nothing.

The lights had been turned off and it took a few moments for her vision to adjust to the near complete darkness. Trying to pierce the gloom in the cage her heart started to creep into her throat, the total silence mocking her. Surely he was still in there, she groped forward until she could clasp the chill bars. Using them as a guide she started to make her way around the enclosure. Finally the play of the feeble light as she moved revealed a darker shadow on the floor, near the far corner.

Moving more quickly she reached the point closest to the bulk. She couldn't hear any sounds of breathing or movement. He had fallen face down with his head towards the corner. Tentatively she reached in to touch his neck. She shuddered at the sticky feeling of drying blood on his rough, cold skin. He didn't respond at all as she applied a little pressure with the balls of her fingers; nothing. She moved her hand a little; maybe his carotid artery was in a different spot to humans. Still nothing. Her anxiety rising she pressed harder as she probed, finally feeling a faint pulse. It was weak, but fairly steady. Tausha sighed out the breath she didn't realise she'd been holding.

The relief boosted her confidence, and she reached into the cage with both hands to gently turn his head to help clear his airway. The slight warmth on her hand in front of his mouth confirmed he was breathing, if only shallowly. The first aid training she'd had at school trickled into her mind. It would probably be easier for him to breathe if she could get him onto his side. But how the hell could she do that? She'd had to push her face hard against the bars just to be able to reach to move his head. She had no idea where the key to the cage was kept, probably with Hun upstairs.

Tausha groped through the darkness behind her, finding the door way to the bathroom she turned on the light within. Glancing back she gasped as the beam of light illuminated the turtle crumpled on the floor. He had been pretty badly bruised and battered the last time she saw him. But now as much of his upper body as she could see was darkening to an ugly purple under the smears of blood where his skin had been broken. His face was almost completely coated, as small red pool gathering on the floor beneath the corner of his mouth.

Not knowing what else to do Tausha grabbed a few more towels, shoving them all into a sink to wet them, then carried her soggy load back to the cage. Working in the light from the bathroom she started to mop away the blood from his face, trying to determine its sources and hoping the attention would wake her patient. Long minutes later Tausha had managed to cleanse his face. She sat back, giving her aching arms a rub. Most of the blood seemed to have come from a nasty cut down the side of his right eye, and a split on the left side of his mouth that traversed through both his lips. Given the amount of blood that had pooled from his mouth Tausha suspected he had a lot more damage inside. He still hadn't moved or made a sound.

The cut on the side of his face was still leaking onto his eyelid, the damp towels doing little to help it clot. Tausha raided the bathroom again for a dry cloth and was dabbing the excess seepage away when he groaned weakly. "No…, please…, no more…" the appeal almost inaudible as he twitched slightly away from the touch of the material. Tausha dropped the towel to the floor and ran a reassuring hand gently down his cheek. "It's OK, I'm here to help you." Mike struggled for a moment to open his eyes and turn his head slightly to see her. "Thanks" he rasped with a shadow of a smile. She beamed back "Just relax, you're in a pretty bad way." Tausha picked up the towel again and returned to her administrations. Mike swallowed thickly "No dah!"

Finally Tausha was satisfied that the damage to his face had clotted as well as could be expected. Mike had only winced a couple of times as she daubed too close to his wounds. However, she was still concerned about his breathing; even now it was very shallow and ragged. Dropping the towel she cupped his cheek, waiting until he opened his eyes again. "Can you move at all?" she asked gently. "Dunno." He grimaced as his shoulders flexed. Wedging her shoulder as far through the bars as she could Tausha managed to push on the edge of his carapace to help him roll on his side. She knew from her run-ins with his brother that their plastron offered some protection, indeed there had only been a few spots of colour on Mikes' front previously. Now it was hard for her to see areas that weren't darkening.

Mike groaned as he settled into his new position, his eyes fluttering shut once more. However, he was able to take deeper breaths now he wasn't hindered by the weight of his shell; or by his hands that had been folded under his chest. Tausha let him rest for a few moments, but looking at the damage to his arms knew he needed more attention. "Can you give me your hands?" she asked once his breathing had settled into a steady rhythm. He gave her a pained look, but slowly complied. She took them, taking care not to let the shackles rub against the skin they had already damaged as his weight had crushed them into his wrists. Grabbing a fresh damp towel from the pile she started to clean up his arms.

It was awkward work, until Mike grabbed her arms feebly. "Help me up…" he rasped. They struggled to sit him up against the bars, but eventually ended up sitting side by side. Tausha watched him intently as she caught her own breath back. He was obviously in a lot of pain, but still managed a weak smile once he had settled a little. She reached over to grab yet another towel, intent on wiping the blood off his chest. Mike grabbed her hand again. "Don't s'pose you can help me with somethin' else?" he murmured earnestly. "Sure, what?" "Need my shell cell, talk to my bros, let 'em know I'm OK." Tausha wasn't too sure she'd heard him correctly, his speech was fairly slurred. "Did you say 'shell cell'?" Mike started to nod; then wincing thought better of it. "Yeah, like a mobile, over there." He pointed towards his gear on the bench, not bothering to raise his hand off his knee.

Tausha shuffled uneasily, glancing towards the double doors. "I dunno, I'm gonna be in for it if I'm caught just being in here…" "Please, jus' the phone. Promise won't ask for anythin' else." Tausha looked at him dubiously, but his earnest expression and the effort it cost him to ask overcame her reluctance. She stood up with a huff. "Damn it, I dunno why I'm doin' this. I'm gonna wind up dead for sure…" she continued muttering under her breath as she dug through the gear on the bench. She checked the long coat first with no luck, only half a packet of Strawberry Pez and some crumpled comics there. Tossing the coat aside she uncovered the leather belt, straps and pads of his 'uniform'; along with a bright orange bandana and a pair of nunchakus banded in the same colour material. "What the…, orange? I thought these guys were meant to be ninja!" In one of the compartments on his belt she found a device that looked a bit like a shell. Guessing it was what she was after she returned to sit next to Mike with it.

The small grin he gave her as she handed it over proved she was right. Curious she peered over his shoulder as he flipped it open and pressed a button. The mini screen in the top half of the device flickered to life almost instantly. A blue clad turtle had obviously answered the call, a second in purple craning over his shoulder to see. They seemed to be in some kind of van, moving at a bit of speed by the look of it. "Mikey! What the hell happened to you?" demanded the blue turtle, the purple asking simultaneously "Mike! Are you OK?" In the background a third voice she recognised also demanded "How is he, is he OK Leo?" The blue turtle scowled briefly at the interruptions. "Sorry Leo" muttered the purple turtle, though he didn't shift from his position at all.

Through all this Mike just grinned even wider, making him wince again. "I'm OK guys, just bit worse fer wear." "'A bit' is an understatement Mike, we know you're in the Purple Dragon Head Quarters. We're heading there now to scope out the situation. Can you tell us exactly where you are… and who the hell is that?" Leo pointed towards the top of the screen. "Yeah. I'm in a cell; think in the basement." Tausha nodded to confirm this fact, then Mike tipped his head slightly in her direction. "And this? Heh, tell Raphie Tausha says 'Hi'!" "Tausha?" Leo queried. "Who?" demanded the voice in the background.

The purple turtle disrupted the conversation, pointing at something in the distance. "Pull in there Raph, if we get much closer we'll be spotted for sure." Mike chortled softly as the screen showed his brothers being roughly jostled, the van taking a sharp turn at speed, then halting abruptly. "Smooth as always, Raph. HEY!" Leo quipped sarcastically before the screen blurred, Raph grabbing the hand set from him. "DAMN Mikey! You look like cra… YOU!" He spied the girl in the background of the screen. "If you've hurt my brother I'm gonna…" "What? Kill me?" She completed for him, dead pan. "DAMN STRAIGHT, Bit… HEY!" Leo snatched the handset back again. "Stop it. There'll be plenty of time for you two to finish this nonsense later. We've got more important things to deal with now." The image of Raph stalking to the rear of the van was blocked by the purple turtle craning further over Leo's chair for a closer look.

Mike groaned slightly, his grin taking its toll on his battered face. Tausha gave him a worried look, having to turn back from the huff she'd made at Leo's comment. "It's cool guys, she's been helping me out." Leo shot Tausha a dubious glance. "Why?" Not really knowing the answer to that herself Tausha shrugged. "I… er, I… Uh oh." Voices sounded from the hallway outside the doors once more. Mike and Tausha shared a fleeting look of understanding before they acted. Mike shuffled sideways to lay back down on the floor, Tausha grabbing the mess of towels and bolting for the bathroom. "Got company, gotta go." Mike whispered into his phone before closing it up and tucking it under his side. He closed his eyes just as the main lights flickered on.

Two punks entered, one looked like he was playing host to a bright green sea urchin on his head, his dragon tat curling up his leg under his cut-off denim shorts. The other had slick, greasy looking black hair pasted back in a pony tail at the nape of his neck. His dragon writhed around his neck, its tail disappearing under the half open shirt he wore. Tausha couldn't think of their names, but recognised them as recently promoted 'lieutenants' in Hun's make-shift army. She had grabbed a small shaving mirror that had been left by one of the sinks and was using it to peer round the corner of the bathroom entrance, holding it near the floor to hopefully avoid being seen.

The slick goon unlocked the cage and motioned for his companion to enter first. The spiky haired punk strode in and squatted just out of arms reach of the unmoving form on the floor. "Looks like he's out cold." He muttered. "Best make sure he's still with us, eh?" Said Slick as he stood beside Spike, then waved him forward impatiently when his comrade gave him a questioning look. "Why do I have ta do it?" Spike queried as he rose to his feet. "'Cos I said so. 'sides you're wearin' sodding great boots, these are real Italian leather." Spike rolled his eyes at his vain friend then gave Mike a solid kick in the gut. The blow forced a sharp grunt from the turtle as the air was forced from his lungs, but other than that he didn't stir. "Yep, still kickin'" was Spikes' diagnosis "gonna be fun when the others get here." Slick agreed with a laugh. "Yeah, were all gonna be livin' off turtle soup for a month!" The two seemed to find this particularly amusing, their mirth continuing as Spike relocked the cage. They didn't bother turning out the light as they left.

Crawling from her hiding place back to the side of the cage Tausha laid a tentative hand on the back of Mike's head. He managed to look up at her with a brief, faint but brave smile. She stroked his head reassuringly a couple of times as he relaxed back on the floor. Her curiosity was piqued about what was awaiting his brother's upstairs. Deciding there wasn't anything else she could do here anyway; she snuck back out of the basement and hid in the deep shadows in the corner near the stairwell. The warehouse was quieter and a bit more orderly now. Only the spotlights illuminating the centre stage were still lit. Despite this Tausha could make out hundreds of punks on the stands and gantries; most of them carrying rifles, the rest with hand guns.

On the far side of the platform there was an old office area raised up on stilts. In the deeper darkness underneath this structure Tausha saw a platoon dressed in a similar kind of uniform to the one she had taken a couple of weeks before. She thought that peering through the brightness of the lights between her hiding spot and the ninja legion must be playing tricks on her eyes. Some of them seemed to be moving so quickly it was like they were appearing and disappearing into thin air.

The whole place seemed to be buzzing with a pent up energy, the murmur of dozens of whispered conversations, the creaks and groans of the gantries as people shifted their weight uneasily created a hushed sound track to the scene. Hun and a sizable group of his most trusted associates were still on the stage, most talking on mobile phones, giving orders to runners or warming up with their weapons. None of them were holding guns, although a few were sporting laden holsters.

Hun ended his call and held up his hand for silence. It only took a few moments for every eye in the place to be fixed on him. "Listen up! The freaks have been spotted close by, and an extra bit of good news. They've brought that damn vigilante with 'em." A brief cheer went up from the crowd, dying quickly as Hun raised his hand for quiet again. "There will be **no** mistakes tonight. If they don't make a move soon we already have squads in place to drive them to us. Either way we won't be waiting long. Remember, fire only to drive them up here, keep them from escaping and to cripple them. Do not shoot to kill, or aim at them once they are on this stage." Hun drew his katana from its sheath. "I want to be able to finish them myself. Tonight the Dragon will be VICTORIOUS!" A deafening cheer went up from the whole assembly.

Feeling weak at the knees Tausha leant against the corner for support. She wasn't naïve; she understood that the members of her gang were violent thugs and criminals, but all this against a handful of guys? It seemed to be overkill, quite literally. She watched as Slick hopped up on the stage to talk to Hun. A few irate gestures from their leader sent the two punks walking back towards the basement stairwell. Tausha watched numbly as they descended the steps, they hadn't even noticed her in the shadows.

White noise buzzed between Tausha's ears, blocking any attempts of coherent thought regarding what she should do now. Absently she started to rub her left wrist. The damn bandage hidden under the cuff of her shirt was itching again. The complaints from the damaged limb at her rough treatment seemed to give her mind something to focus on. Suddenly a thought struck her like a smack to the head. Despite being her enemies, the turtles had spared her life, twice now she thought about it. The second time she had very nearly killed Raphael first. It was so obvious she wanted to kick herself for being so stupid. That was way she had felt compelled to help Mike, she owed his brother her life whether she liked it or not. The least she could do is try to even the odds a little tonight in return. Besides, this event was obviously something the whole gang was anxious to enjoy. Her father would be soooo pissed if it went wrong. With an odd manic smile and absolutely no idea of what she was gonna do; she started back down the stairs.


	7. Chapter 7

A/N: I've changed my layout style a little in this chapter. Each new line of dialogue begins on a fresh line. Please tell me what you think. Do you prefer this format to the previous chapters?

Disclaimer: I don't own the TMNT, or any related characters (much to their relief, I'm sure!) If there is anything else in this story you recognise from somewhere else, then I don't own that either.

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The two punks were grumbling together in the hallway outside the double doors.

"Fuck it! Why do we get stuck with damn guard duty? Now were gonna miss out on all the fun…" Spike kicked at the doors as he muttered. Slick took a long drag on a fresh cigarette. After watching the smoke waft away he interrupted his friends' tirade.

"Don't sweat it will ya. There's no way that brute is goin' anywhere" he flicked his fag towards the doors "an' there aint no way the others c'n get in here. We've got nothin' ta worry 'bout really. So once we hear the shit going down up there, well just pop up an' watch. It's not like Hun's gonna notice us anyway, guessin' he's gonna be too busy."

"Heh, heh. Yeah. Can't wait to see how he goes. He acts so damn tough, and I wouldn't be stupid enough ta cross him, but he's definitely got himself plenty of back up tonigh…Oh! Hi Tausha, wha'cha doin'?"

Both the goons stood a little straighter as she approached.

"Nothin', just been told to keep out of the way of what's happening up there." The look the men shared spoke volumes.

"Great" quipped Slick, trying to sound upbeat "So what ya got there?" He motioned to her clenched hands with his cigarette. Tausha glanced down at her fists then looked back up at the guys with an over-bright smile.

"Got a little something for ya!"

Holding her hands with her fingers curled over on top she held them aloft. As the goons got close to inspect her offering she flipped her hands over and drove a throat strike home on each at once. They reared backwards, clutching their necks. She stepped between them using the impetus to hammer a blow to each solar plexus. In unison they doubled over, gasping for breath. Without hesitation Tausha grabbed the back of Slicks head as she drove her knee into his face, letting go to allow him to crumple to the ground. Spike had stumbled away a little to the side providing the perfect distance for Tausha to topple him with a roundhouse kick to the head.

"Well that was easier than expected!" She exclaimed to no one in particular, since both the goons were obviously unconscious. All the extra 'sparring practice' she had gotten in lately was paying off, especially with that last kick. She'd been exposed to that particular move a lot in the past few weeks, though more often than not she'd been the one trying to dodge it.

Tausha patted Slick down and found the keys he had slipped in his pocket. Shouldering through the doors she quickly unlocked the cage and knelt next to Mike. He was still lying on the floor, eyes closed. She got a little worried when he didn't stir much as she unsuccessfully tried the cage key in the shackles. Fumbling through the smaller keys on the ring she starting calling his name quietly, hoping he had just fallen asleep.

"Wha? Hey wha'cha doin?' He asked groggily as the third key worked. Tausha slipped the shackles off.

"Helping you get out of here, I hope. Where's your phone?"

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Raph and Casey slipped back inside the Battle-shell.

"They know we're here Leo, we got most of the scouts, but my bet is it's gonna get pretty hot here soon if we don't move it." reported Raph. Leo nodded to acknowledge the information and then turned to Don who was engrossed with the tracking monitor on the wall.

"So what are our options?"

"Well given he is in the basement the tunneller would be our best bet at gaining entry. I'm trying to triangulate his precise location and I've had to make a few assumptions about the size of his cell."

"What the hell does that matter?" Casey interrupted rudely. Unperturbed Don explained

"If we are not careful we may miss his position and have to face off the Dragon's while we break him out, or we may hit the cage spot on and risk injuring Mike as we surface…"

"I don't see why we don't just storm in there and bust some heads?" Casey drove his argument home with a solid thwack from his hockey stick on the van door.

"Easy Case" Leo tried to sooth, with an unusual thread of irritation in his tone "we all want to get Mike out asap. But Hun is expecting us, he's sure to have an ambush set up waiting for us. We're not gonna be any use to Mike if we get ourselves killed trying to get to him."

"But we can't just sit here thinkin' all night!" Casey started to pace.

"Just give us a minute, OK?" As Leo turned back to his genius brother, his shell cell sounded.

Leo waved his hand for silence as he answered the call, his family quickly crowding around to be privy to the conversation.

"Mi… Oh, um Tausha?"

"Listen to me, if you guys come in here you're gonna die."

"We don't have a lot of choice, were not going to leave our brother in there any longer than we have to. Is he alright?" Leo could see Mike's arm draped over Tausha's shoulders.

"Not great, look the entire gang is armed to the teeth and waiting for you upstairs in the main warehouse. There is only one stairway down here and you have to go through the warehouse to get to it." Tausha stumbled slightly as Mike tried to pull away from her.

"Hang on. Mike, what's up?"

"My gear, need it…"

"No you don't, we need to move…"

"Please, I need it." With an impatient growl she leaned him up against the locker next to the bench with his equipment and shoved the phone in his hand. Raiding the lockers on the other side she found a duffle bag and roughly shoved his gear into it. Shouldering the bag on her left, she slipped her right arm back under Mike's to support him. Taking back the phone she steered her charge towards the doors.

"Gees, you guys sure have your damn priorities straight!" she muttered sarcastically, her filthy look failing to dampen Mike's grin.

"So what are you planning to do?" queried Leo.

"Dunno really…" Leo and Don exchanged a worried glance.

"What? Then what the hell are ya doin'?" Raph snapped impatiently past Leo's shoulder. Tausha ignored him, trying to negotiate Mike past something on the floor of the hallway they were in.

"Uh, Tausha?" Leo prompted once she looked up again.

"Huh? Oh…, look this is the best I can come up with. There are a couple of small windows along the front of the warehouse, pretty much at street level I think. They do have thick metal grills on 'em, and I don't think they can be opened at all. I can get Mike under them, but you guys have to figure out where to go from there. And make it quick, OK?"

"Alright, were on it." Leo snapped his phone shut.

"So what's the plan bro?" Raph asked expectantly. He knew that look on Leo's face; it was 'go time'.

"Raph, Case you're on distraction. Just keep moving, no heroics, got it? Do not go into the warehouse. Try to draw them out and away from the street if you can. Don, you're with me. We'll give you guys a head start. Then we'll approach the front of the building from the far side, right?"

"RIGHT!" the team chorused, leaping to action.

Casey booted open the back doors to leap cowboy style onto his bike. He gunned away quickly giving Raph plenty of room to launch the Shell-cycle. Leo briefly watched them race down the alley whooping like Indians on the warpath. He couldn't help shaking his head as he closed the doors and took his seat next to Don before the Battle-shell rocketed off in the other direction. Without looking away from the road he was traversing Don asked the same question that was niggling at Leo's mind.

"What if this is a trap, Leo? Don't you think it is a bit weird that a Foot Soldier would be helping us out?"

"I know Don; it doesn't make any sense to me either. But my gut is telling me this is the fastest way to get to Mike. If not we'll just have to play it by ear." Don nodded grimly.

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It hadn't been easy but Tausha had finally gotten Mike to the far end of the hallway and into the large dojo that occupied half the area of the warehouse above. She had only been in here a couple of times before, preferring to train on her own. The room was dark, chill and stuffy. Walled in concrete it had been built as a storage area. On the shorter wall to her left she spotted the two narrow panes near the ceiling that allowed access for a little light from the street. She sat Mike against the wall under the one of the windows.

After making sure he was settled she did a quick tour of the room. Grabbing a few pole arms off a rack she secured the doors as best she could, the weapons slotted through the handles. At the other end of the room she found a hatch in the wall. Shoving it open she found the shaft of a disused dumb waiter. Wiping away the dust that had coated her face during her inspection of the duct she couldn't help a smile. She might just get out of this in one piece yet.

Mike was tentatively feeling his jaw as Tausha approached, fishing inside his mouth to remove a loose tooth.

"Awww" he moaned, dejectedly looking at it sitting in his hand. Taking a seat next to him she rested the back of her head on the wall with a sigh, closing her eyes and forcing herself to relax. She started, feeling the weight of his hand gently taking her own.

"Thank-you." He said quietly as she met his eyes.

"Um…No problem." She muttered, looking away nervously. A sound like all hell breaking loose erupted. Tausha found herself cringing against the wall, the grip of their clasped hands tightening as they both pictured the worst happening in the warehouse above.

Suddenly Mike launched himself sideways, crushing Tausha under his weight. An explosion rocked the dojo and they both coughed as the dust swirled. The window further down the wall had been obliterated and a shadow dropped through to approach them.

"Uh, sorry." Mike apologised with a lopsided grin as he struggled to push himself upright. Tausha lay stock still; the fear of being caught by another gang member in a rather compromising position with one of the enemies they were trying to eradicate froze her muscles. To her relief the shadow resolved out of the dust cloud to expose the purple clad turtle. He reached down and helped pull Mikey upright.

"Thanks Don!" Mike croaked as loudly as he could over the increased volume of noise from above. Don swiftly but gently ran his hands over his brother, assessing the damage done.

"Are you OK? Can you move Mike?"

"Yeah, a bit."

Don helped Mike to his feet and over to the hole near the roof. Recovering from her panic Tausha picked herself up. Grabbing the duffle bag she followed the two turtles. Leo jerked his head out of harm's way just as she threw the bag through the gap. The edge was well out of Mike's reach and it was obvious that he couldn't jump to it in his current state. Don turned to the girl, cupping his hands to give her a leg up, to find she was already doing the same for Mike. Catching sight of a movement at the dojo doors left no time for arguments.

He helped to shove Mike up the wall, Leo getting a grip on his arms to pull him through. Again Don turned to give the girl a hand. She was motioning for him to go first, offering a leg up to him now. The racket from above and the added din from the far side of the straining doors made speech impossible. With a quick shrug he complied, guessing she knew what she was doing on her own turf.

Once Don was out Leo quickly directed him to take Mike to the Battle-shell and get ready to move out. Leo then ducked back down to the opening, already extending a hand to help her up. Tausha wasn't there. Peering further into the gloom of the dojo he spotted her sprinting to the far end. She disappeared into a cavity in the wall just as the main doors burst open. A wave of punks surged into the area. Leo spun, scooped up the duffle bag and made a run for the Battle-shell. It wasn't far but he still had to duck and weave about to dodge the shots and projectiles from the dojo, and from a second group of punks closing from the warehouse car-park. He'd felt at least two hits ricochet off his shell before managing to gain the safety of the van.

"Where's Tausha?" queried Don.

"Not coming, go!" No further encouragement needed Don gunned the Battle-shell, racing through the punks gathering on the street and past the car-park entrance. Seeing this Casey and Raph left the game of 'cat and mouse' they had been playing amongst the gangs' vehicles and roared off in pursuit. Some well aimed shuriken had made sure the cars closest to the entrance all had flat tyres, hampering the Dragon's efforts to follow.

Watching from the office window Tausha felt a thrill of satisfaction at seeing the gang members milling about in confusion and fear. She couldn't believe they had pulled it off, and obviously neither could Hun. She spotted him rampaging through the car-park, punching and kicking anything that came within range whether it was metal or no. From her high vantage point he looked like a child throwing a tantrum at having his favourite toy taken away. The spectacle made her smile coldly.

"Looks like my best bets to lay low for a while." she murmured to herself. She was sure she wasn't the only Dragon to be thinking that right now.


	8. Chapter 8

A/N: This has been one of the easiest chapters for me to write so far. It's been floating on my hard-drive for over a week now so thought I'd post it early. Always gives me a smile to read it. Hope you like it too! I have completed the next chapter, but don't know if I'll post it on Monday. That one has been a toughie, and I'm still tinkering with it.

A/N 2: Want to thank **The REAL Cheese Monkey** (sorry, you're probably getting bored of hearin' this from me) and **artykidd** for your reviews and support. I really do appreciate it a lot! Also want to thank **SilentWater13** and **Elisa1984** for putting my scribblings on your alerts lists. And last but not least, thanks to **Dragolover1** (I've got a vague reference to Jackie Chan in the next chapter for ya!) and **nosidam48lovraph** for putting this story on your favs lists!

Wow! Feel really honoured! Thanks again all!

Disclaimer: I don't own the TMNT, or any related characters (much to their relief, I'm sure!) If there is anything else in this story you recognise from somewhere else, then I don't own that either.

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Raph moved through the stagnant evening air in a slow kata, the concrete warming his feet. His usual perch on the water tower roof still held too much heat from the recently set sun to be comfortable yet. Over the past couple of weeks since his second lot of detention had finally finished he had found himself returning to this rooftop whenever he left the lair on his own. The first time it hadn't been his intention to do so. He had just found himself lingering here, giving the missing section of the rampart a wide berth. Since then however, he always made it his first and last port of call.

Tonight he was on his way to meet Casey. The local hockey league grand final was being played in Central Park, a huge oak tree next to the stadium offering a secluded vantage point. The view wasn't always great through the leaves, but you couldn't argue with the price. Or the ability to be out on a night like this without having to wear a trench-coat.

He wasn't sure why he made time to hang out here. Or rather, he wasn't sure what he would do if she ever showed up again. At first he had thought he wanted to thank her, make sure she hadn't been punished for helping Mike escape. But every time he'd waited here and she hadn't shown up had felt like an insult. He knew that wasn't really fair, she had no way of knowing he was waiting here. That just made things worse in a way. It wasn't anger he was feeling now exactly, although it was definitely akin to it. He just felt… 'tense' was the only word that seemed to fit.

The damn pigeons took off with their usual clatter. Raph scowled, not bothering to turn and look at what had spooked them this time, it usually wasn't anything at all.

"Ugh, fuck it."

He turned to leave, reacting faster than thought to block the sheathed sword descending on his head. She leapt backwards with a laugh; at him? That was the last straw. He attacked, channelling his frustration into his blows. The feeling of his fists striking the scabbard, her arms and hands as she blocked too exhilarating to bother drawing his sai.

She was quick, managing to evade or block every strike. But he was quicker, not allowing her any opportunity to strike back. Despite this she was smiling, her eyes shining. Raph's grimace involuntarily evolved into a grin. He found he enjoyed this style of skirmish, a battle more of reflexes than muscle. His initial aggravation evaporated quickly and he started to take care not to follow through with too much force when he connected a blow.

He drove her backwards across the rooftop. Too preoccupied with the battle she didn't notice the skylight until she backed into it, the raised mounting buckling her knees. She lost her balance with a cry, her back hitting the glass lightly before her hold on her weapon arrested the fall. Luckily she had gripped the saya at either end. Raph now held it in the middle, a huge smirk on his face. He locked her legs against the concrete surround with his own, securing her against a fall but effectively trapping her in her precarious state.

Sighing with relief Tausha gave Raph an expectant look, waiting for him to pull her up. He just leered even wider. Realising he was enjoying leaving her dangling there she shot him a dirty look.

"You gonna help me up or what?"

"What's the magic word?" Raph stifled a laugh at the outraged expression on her face.

"Will you just pull me up already?" She tried in vain to escape, but with her legs trapped at right angles she couldn't regain her balance, even as she managed to pull herself up to her scabbard as he held it at arms length over the casement. With a resigned huff she glared at him again over his hands.

"Please?" she barely muttered. Without hesitation he stepped back and drew her to safety.

"That wasn't too hard now, was it?" he taunted with a dirty grin once she regained her feet. She gave him a look cool enough to freeze the Hudson then turned her nose in the air.

"Well I guess we are even now, so we can go back to being enemies again." She folded her arms in an over-dramatic grump. His expression fell into one of confusion.

"What d'ya mean 'even'?"

"You saved my life, I saved your brothers, that makes us even doesn't it?" as if she were talking to a simpleton.

"How is Mikey by the way?" Raph scowled, feeling like he had somehow lost the upper hand, inexplicably pissed that she had asked about his brother.

"He's fine." He snapped over his shoulder as he started to stomp away.

"HEY!" Raph turned back with dark look, surprised to see concern on her face as she stepped hesitantly after him.

"I never said 'thank-you'."

"For what?" he growled.

"For… you know, saving my life..." she waved her hand at the skylight sheepishly "again." Raph raised an eye ridge.

"Oh, no problem." The confusion returned to overwhelm his burst of temper. She met his eyes with a shy smile. Accepting the olive branch he found himself returning the look. After a moment she dropped her gaze, fidgeting a little in the awkward silence. Raph followed the direction of her look and noticed she was only wearing half of a Foot Soldier uniform. The usual jacket had been replaced with a plain black singlet. Sweat making it cling tightly to her curves. The serpent on her shoulder glared at him from under a strap as if prepared to defend its roost.

"That doesn't seem to be Foot standard issue you're wearin' there." Raph tried to keep his tone neutral, just wanting to break the uneasy silence more than anything else. Her brow furrowed momentarily, she glanced down at herself and laughed.

"Oh, you mean this?" she pulled lightly on the front of the singlet.

"That's 'cos I'm not with the Foot. I just kinda 'borrowed' this lot. It probably doesn't help at all really, but it gives me a bit more confidence when I'm sneaking about. You know, look the part an' all." She shrugged with a lopsided grin.

Raph was taken aback slightly.

"You're not Foot? Then where the hell did you learn how to fight?" She quirked an eyebrow at him before answering,

"My dad got me into Jujitsu when I was a kid." She looked away, biting her lip before she continued in a quieter tone.

"Heh. My Mum made me quit it a few years ago, 'cos I managed to break my arm during practice. She told me to take up a sport where I didn't get tossed about, so I started doing Kendo and Iaido instead." She shrugged again with a sad smile.

"Mum was thrilled." She shook her head slightly and then gave him a curious glance.

"So where the hell did you learn to fight, huh?"

It was Raph's turn to fidget, unsure of how or where to start his explanation. He met her reassuring gaze, and after a moment the words just seemed to come.

"My father's been teaching me an' my brothers Ninjitsu ever since I c'n remember. It's kinda his way of makin' sure we'll stay…shit." Eminem's 'Lose Yourself' interrupted. Roughly extracting his shell cell from his belt Raph flicked it open.

"What?" a brisk demand. Tausha couldn't make out exactly what the caller was saying, but they sounded annoyed.

"10 minutes? Shit. Alright Case, chill will ya? I'll be there as soon as I can." Clicking the phone shut he looked up with a scowl. His mind occupied with figuring out the quickest route to his destination he asked distractedly

"Can we finish this later?" The girl looked a little shocked and then shrugged with a smile. "Sure. Next week. Same bat time, same bat channel?"

"Great!"

Raph leapt off the roof, sprinting towards Central Park. As he cleared the third alley of his journey the implications of what she had said struck him. They had made… a date? A sudden knot in his gut at the thought almost made him miss his footing. He shook his head violently to drive out the stupid thought. She was a human and still a Dragon at that, despite their truce. The knot eased, leaving an ache that diffused into his chest. He dismissed the unfamiliar feeling, pumping his legs harder to distract himself from it. 'Agreed to meet', like friends. Yeah, that was more like it.

Nine minutes later Raph swung himself up onto the branch next to his buddy.

"Just in time, gak face. Here." Casey shoved a beer in his hand. "So what kept ya?" Raph downed half the cans contents, burping before he bothered to answer.

"Just catchin' up with a friend." He grinned to himself before he tipped the can in his mouth again. Casey's eyebrow shot to the top of his head spotting his companions unusual expression.

"Anyone I know?" Raph finished the drink and crumpled the aluminium flat against the bough.

"Nope." Tossing his rubbish back in the esky balanced between them he rummaged through the ice and empties for another can.

"Ya gonna tell me?"

"Nope." The whistle to start the match sounded from below, ending the discussion.


	9. Chapter 9

Disclaimer: I don't own the TMNT, or any related characters (much to their relief, I'm sure!) If there is anything else in this story you recognise from somewhere else, then I don't own that either.

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The lair was unusually peaceful this Sunday afternoon. It was the last day of summer, everyone in the city looking forward to the cool change of autumn after the second hottest August on record.

Leo's gaze wandered away from the shogi board, waiting for Splinter to make his move. He would have preferred to continue with his katas. However, his Sensei had started to insist that he take a break each day from his physical training to exercise his mind. He used to enjoy spending quiet time like this with his father, such opportunities sometimes few and far between. Lately though he always felt restless. Channelling his excess energy into training seemed to help clear his head and left him exhausted enough to sleep at night. The wait whilst Splinter considered his strategy gave Leo time, too much time, to contemplate the real enemies that were still out there. Those that already had an agenda to tear his family apart and those they weren't even aware of yet.

At first Leo had thought the feeling was the result of the suicide pact they had almost completed in order to destroy the Shredder. But the notion of his family dying together really didn't faze him at all. What truly concerned him was the more likely possibility of losing them one by one; or being lost, no longer able to protect them. He glanced around, an instinctive reflex to check on his kin.

Don was immersed in his computer. The steady 'tak, tik' tak' of the keyboard a background noise they had gotten used to years ago. No more intrusive than a clock ticking, and almost as regular. Leo's eyes darkened as he spotted the bandage on his brother's leg; a wound from a recent scuffle with some street punks. A surge of guilt forced Leo to look away from what he considered evidence of his failure to protect his brother.

Mike had recovered well since his ordeal at Huns' hands almost two months ago. The only reminders he bore now were a small crooked scar by his right eye, usually covered by his bandana; and some extra scratches and nicks in his shell, although these were getting harder to discern from the older marks and dents. Now he was lounging on the floor demolishing a huge bowl of chips whilst watching a cartoon where a gang of punks that seemed to be half dragon were wrecking San-Francisco. He was way to close to the flickering screens in Leo's opinion. But since he had the excuse that the headphone cord wouldn't quite stretch to the couch Leo had let it slide, preferring the peaceful option.

From his vantage point at the dining table Leo perused the rest of the lair, already knowing he wouldn't catch sight of his third brother. 'Click'. With a light sigh Leo returned his attention to the board to assess Splinter's move.   
"My win is not assured yet, my son." Splinter's voice was gentle, his eyes carrying his unspoken question.   
"It's just quiet." Leo answered softly.   
"Too quiet?"   
"No, it's nice in a way."   
"What, then, is your concern?" Leo was silent for a minute, lost in deliberation whilst Splinter waited with infinite patience.

"I think its Raph. I dunno, but I can't help thinking there's more to this 'one night out a week' business than he's letting on. I know you've made an agreement with him over it, and he hasn't just stormed out since then. But I wish he would tell us what he is up to. Casey thinks he's got a new friend, but he doesn't know anything more than that. I just hope that he's not…" Leo shook his head, unsure of just what he was trying to express "that he doesn't get into any trouble, that's all."

Splinter gave a slow nod, processing his son's statement for a moment.   
"I understand your concerns Leonardo. I share many of them myself. However, I believe that Raphael suggested this arrangement as a way for him to improve his self control. Allowing him one night a week to do as he wishes, no questions asked, does seem to have given him an outlet for his restlessness. He also doesn't seem to be provoked to temper quite as easily. Would you begrudge your brother his attempt at self improvement to ease your own mind?"   
"No Sensei, of course not. But 'self improvement' has never been a goal of Raphs' before, not on an emotional level anyway, so why now? And I'm not that sure it is helping his temper, he did smash the remote again yesterday. He just spends a lot more time hanging out in his room. He doesn't seem to be doing much in there, every time I check on him he's either doing weights or listening to music."

Splinter gave Leo a reassuring smile.   
"Growth is not easy, particularly emotional growth. I am pleased that Raphael has asked for this opportunity, even if I am not completely comfortable with every aspect of it. If we give him some time and space I have faith that he will come to realise there is little he can gain on the streets that he cannot find here at home. I do not believe it will be a tranquil journey for him, but we are always here to help with any troubles that arise." With a resigned nod Leo moved his counter.

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Raph was sitting at the small desk in his room, flipping through the battered old exercise book he used to jot down his favourite song lyrics. Reading through them often helped him to sort out his own feelings, assured him he wasn't alone in his frustration with this world. Today, however, nothing written in there seemed to relate. He wasn't feeling angry, just edgy. As if there was something else he should be doing, or another place he should be. But he had no idea what or where.

He flipped to the back of the book where there was a section dominated by the tattered remnants of torn out pages. A few had survived, sporting great scars of ink where he had attempted to write some lyrics of his own. Opening to a fresh page he started filling the top corner with stabs from his pen, waiting for inspiration. Nothing came. With a frustrated sigh he decided to try something different;

_Keep havin this dream. Dont know what it means. Stood in an orchard like the one near the farm. The trees are hangin down with fruit. Big granny smiths. The smell is fantastic! Then the smell starts to fade like its runnin away an I start chasin it. Runnin through the friggin trees like I can catch a damn smell? Sometimes it gets stronger like Im getting close to it. Then it disappears away again. Maybe Im just goin nuts._

Raph had never written about stuff like his dreams before. Why bother, they were just imagined crap; same as this one. It did make him feel a little better though. After chewing on the end of the pen for a moment he continued;

_Its just a damn dream. Guess I cant really talk to anyone bout this kind of crap though. My bros an Case would tease me like hell if they knew. Splinter would just have some sayin or something to explain it. Not. Ape? Shed probably drag out 1 of those girl mags with some psychic carryin on. An Tau would probably whack me on the head with that damn sword of hers and tell me I AM nuts. Me? Shes nuts. _

_Cant tell anyone bout her neither. Theyd probably all freak out that Im hangin out with an enemy. Especially Leo. Hes been acting weird for a while. Think hes finally figured out what a fuckin bitch Karai was. Bout time. Tau agreed we did a good thing puttin Saki away. She met him a couple times. Thought he was bad news. _

_Taus cool though. We get together every Friday now. Spar an talk. Told Sensei I wanted time to myself. He figured I wanted to improve myself. Didnt argue with that. Didnt tell him bout Tau either. She knows how to fight OK. An gettin better. Used my own dragon punch against me the other night. Cow nearly hit me. Its easy to talk to her about a lot of stuff. She knows when to shut up an just wait for me to talk. Shes good at explainin stuff too. Like I can tell her whats pissed me off and she can tell me why. See? Nuts._

_She tells me a lot of stuff. Dont think shes got anyone else to talk to. Her Mum and Grandad died in a car wreck at the beginin of the year. Then she got sent to live here with her Dad. I know he hits her sometimes. Arsehole. Hes a damn Purple Dragon too. I dont think she had much choice in joinin. Shes never told me who he is. Thought of askin a couple of times but dont know if she would thank me for doin him in. She goes kinda quiet when it comes up. Dont know why she puts up with it. She should leave or fight back or something. Dunno. Maybe its different when its your Dad. Spose cant really blame her for bein a little nuts. Dunno what Id do if I lost my family._

A pool of ink started to spread on the page under this sentence as Raph repeatedly jabbed his pen into the sheet. The unconscious act helped to distract his mind from the horrid thought. Another surfaced, a memory of the shock at seeing half of Tausha's face mottled with welts. Starting under the small mess he had made he continued to write;

_Dont know how anyone could really want to hurt her though. Not once you know her anyway. Shes got a bit of a mouth on her. But shes not really mean and knows when to give it a rest. Could teach Mike a thing or 2. Shes so small too. Shorter than me. Bit of a sore spot that. Makes me laugh. Shes got really long hair. Not quite straight got a bit of a wave in it. Dont know whether to call it blonde or brown. Ape would know. Shes no Liv Tyler. But she looks really nice when she smiles. Her eyes kinda light up. Their nice. Grey with little flecks of green an blue. Like the ocean on a cloudy d_

He slammed the book shut at the loud knocking. Half turning on the seat Raph plonked his ankle on his knee, chin resting on his hand, elbow on the book, and failed miserably at looking innocent before Leo poked his head through the door. A little gob-smacked at the ridiculous pose his brother was in Leo quirked an eye ridge, about to ask what Raph had been up to. He quickly thought better of it, since it would probably just end in an argument anyway.   
"Mike's bugged us into getting pizza tonight. What topping do you want on yours?"   
"Dunno. Let me think and I'll be down in a minute, OK?"   
With a dubious look Leo warned.   
"OK. But if you're not, it'll be Mikey's choice alright."   
"Yeah, cool."

Raph looked away, willing Leo to leave. Taking the cue, his eye ridge still on its high perch, Leo quietly closed the door. Raph waited for a moment to be sure his brother had actually left before he cautiously opened the book again.

Inspecting the page he'd almost filled a small smile of pride played on his lips. He'd never written so much at once before, well not of his own creation anyway. Writing the note seemed to have exorcised some demons. He felt calmer, more in control.

Carefully he completed the work with the missing 'ay'. He read it again, enjoying the strange feeling diffusing his chest at the words. Then, ever so carefully, he tore the page from the book, neatly folded it in half and started to tear it into strips. The strips became pieces of confetti that he dumped in the bin on his way out of the room.

With a huge grin Raph leapt down from the upper level and sauntered over to plop himself down on the couch.   
"What's with you, dude?" Mike queried.   
"What d'ya mean?" asked Raph nonchalantly. His three brothers exchanged a brief look of concern before Don explained.   
"You just look so…er, happy!" Raph scowled slightly.   
"So I can't be happy now?" the familiar tone of warning in his voice. Before Leo could speak Splinter interjected.   
"Of course you can my son. We are just glad to see it."   
There was a moment of silence as Raph decided to accept his Masters' assurance and relaxed back into the couch, a half-smile returning to his face.

Relieved that another potential argument between his siblings had been averted Mike chirped.   
"So, it's mega-meat-lovers with double chilli for everyone, right?"   
"NO!" chorused all in reply.

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**A/N**: I warned ya! The last chapter was really easy, knocked it over in a couple of days. This one I've been tinkering with for almost two weeks. Sorry about the lack of action, get back to that soon, promise! Just wanted to indirectly show the development of Raph & Tau's friendship over the weeks that have passed since the last chapter. Leo's got a few little demons of his own, but not gonna give away any more than that for awhile ; )


	10. Chapter 10

A/N: Kendo lesson #2. An apology if you already know this stuff, if not it kinda explains some of what Tausha is yelling at times. In Kendo there are three types strikes allowed, each to a different area of the body. When attempting a strike you yell the Japanese name for it. These strikes are;   
Head – Men   
Midriff – Do   
Wrist – Kotei   
In case you are wondering, I did a little kendo years ago. Stopped when I fell pregnant with my first kiddo, didn't think being whacked in the guts (armour or no!) on a regular basis would be a very good idea. Anyway, I am running on a lousy memory for some of these little 'factoids' so if you have any corrections/updates please feel free to message me! However, I am aware that I am that I am taking a lot of artistic licence with her fighting style; in Kendo you don't have a scabbard to thump people with! Mind you, you don't have a live blade either. I figure battling on rooftops is a bit different to a nice cosy dojo, you'd use whatever you could get your hands on! That's my excuse an' I'm stickin' with it!

Disclaimer: I don't own the TMNT, or any related characters (much to their relief, I'm sure!) If there is anything else in this story you recognise from somewhere else, then I don't own that either.

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Tausha leant against the corroded metal leg of the water tower, hidden in the deeper shadow thrown by the structure. The clock, set atop a nearby office building, ticked closer to one am. She'd been waiting almost an hour now. Despite her seemingly relaxed posture, the muscles in her neck twinged with tension as she cast her gaze about the surrounding roof tops again. She was adamant she wasn't about to get caught unawares tonight. Ambush had become their way of greeting each other, and she hadn't gained the advantage in that little competition for far too long.

He'd never been this late before though, and now she was starting to worry. So far their Friday night excursions had gone undetected. What if he'd been spotted, or caught on his way here? She knew he and his brothers had been involved in quite a few scuffles with the Purple Dragons and other gangs over the past month, the heat and vengeance fuelling the hostility. Had he been injured, or…? She lurched off her resting spot, pacing the area under the tower in an attempt to escape her thoughts.

Although the beginning of autumn had marginally decreased the temperatures in the city, the air tonight was still oppressive. Instead of bringing relief the dark roiling mass of clouds that had gathered during the afternoon served to block in the heat, adding to Tausha's unease. The hair on the back of her neck stood in a warning that someone was close by. Returning to her hiding spot she peered around, hoping it was her friend and not another member of her gang. The thought of what would happen if her rendezvous were discovered sent a chill down her spine. She knew it was a huge risk, for both of them. But in a way that increased the excitement and joy this little piece of freedom she had gleaned brought her.

Nothing stirred. Even the usual pigeon flock had decided to roost elsewhere tonight. With a sigh, not sure if she were relieved or disappointed, she glanced at the clock again; ten past one. With a shake of her head she decided he wasn't coming. Cautiously she moved out of the shadow, making for the fire escape. Suddenly she convulsed sideways with a shriek as something with far too many legs landed squarely on her shoulder. The creature fell to the ground and seemed impervious to her stomping until she realised it was a _rubber_ centipede.

Glaring round she caught sight of the culprit. He was failing dismally at hiding his mirth behind a sling-shot, stumbling out from behind an air-conditioning duct on the next rooftop.   
"You little snot!" she growled as she scooped up the toy, determined to shove it where no arthropod had gone before. The evil look on her face as she drew her blade and vaulted the gap between the two buildings was enough to force Raph to laugh out loud before he found himself blocking a furious volley of blows.

Tausha unleashed her shock and frustration, only able to articulate in bestial roars and grunts for a good few minutes until she calmed enough to command the use of language again. Even then almost every word was struck home with another blow.   
"How dare you! First you make me wait and worry sick. Then you pull this crap!" She flung the centipede at his face, using the distraction to land a solid hit to his gut with her scabbard. His plastron absorbed most of the impact, but it was still enough to make him grunt in surprise. Tausha danced backwards, acting as though she was shifting to a better position to attack again whilst in reality giving him a chance to recover.

Raph looked at her in amazement.   
"You were worried about me?" he asked uncertainly. Tausha attacked again with a shout.   
"DO!" leading with her ninja-to this time in a stroke towards his waist. Raph managed to lock the blade between his sai, pushing it back fairly easily until she dropped her saya to add the strength of a second arm to her thrust. Over the enmeshed metal between them he raised a curious eye ridge.   
"Well?"   
"NO! Where the hell have you been anyway?" she glowered. Raph shrugged as best he could.   
"Movie night." He explained casually, trying hard not to grin. Tausha increased the pressure on her blade.   
"Movie night? Till one in the morning?"   
"Yup. Akira's a great film, friggin' long though! My damn brother wouldn't let me leave til it finished." The memory brought a scowl to his face for a moment. With a slither their weapons parted as she stood back, aloof.   
"Well, don't let it happen again, alright?"   
"Heh! I'll try, OK?" Not wanting to admit the return of his lopsided grin had melted the last of her resolve to do him serious bodily harm she turned away until she could bring her own smile of relief under control.

Facing off again she grabbed up her scabbard and eased into a ready stance, her attempt at a serious look not quite reaching her eyes. It wasn't long before the smile won through again as they continued to skirmish across the rooftops. She loved this. The terrain and her rival pushed her to the limit of her skills, more so than any conventional sparring or even competition she'd experienced before. However, despite the inevitable nicks and bruises, they'd built a trust where each knew the other wouldn't hurt them seriously.

Several rooftops later a light drizzle started to fall. Despite the now treacherous footing the cool shower failed to impede their combat, instead revitalising their hot and fatigued bodies. Tausha found herself admiring the way the rivulets of water running down his limbs highlighted the glide of his muscles under his dark skin. One end of Raphs' sodden bandana clung to his plastron, emphasising the curvature of his powerful chest, the fresh scent of the rain making her feel light-headed.

The dance of their battle slowed a little as they both started to favour close quarter techniques. Dodging a thrust of her blade by his side Raph caught the weapon behind its tsuba within the wing of his sai, a quick jerk sending the ninja-to skittering across the roof. With a flick of his weapons he blocked the follow-through strike she made with her scabbard, capturing each end within a sai. With a shove he drove the saya toward her midriff, forcing her to step back. The brick wall of a plant room blocking her retreat, she found herself trapped. The sudden closeness of his face to hers made her fight to catch her breath, more so than the light pressure of the scabbard under her ribs. His velvet brown eyes glinted with a spark that drove the chill from her damp body.

A sudden flash of lightning, followed almost immediately by a growl of thunder so close it reverberated through the building, heralded a massive downpour. Raph leapt out to rescue her blade from the elements before following her round the side of the plant room, looking for sanctuary.

Ten minutes later found them still dejectedly huddled with their backs hard against the shallow doorway of the locked plant room. The storm showed no signs of abating. The frequent thunder claps and driving rain on the tin roof above making all but shouted conversation impossible. An irrational worry started to niggle at Raph; what if she didn't want to meet again after such a cold, wet, dismal experience? He had to think of some way to salvage the night. He started slightly as she failed to stifle a sneeze; it was also obvious they needed a better spot to shelter. An idea dawned.

"Do you know how to skate?" Raph bellowed above the din. Looking at him as if she were a little concerned for his sanity she slowly shook her head. With a wicked grin Raph grabbed her wrist and all but dragged her out into the storm. He let go to leap down the fire escape, pausing at the bottom to ensure she'd make it down safely. As soon as she landed in the alley beside him he raced off again, confident in Tausha's ability to keep pace. She almost skidded past when he stopped abruptly to wrench open a manhole cover and immediately disappeared into the darkness below.

Stunned Tausha stood motionless for a moment in the deluge, considering her options. Deciding it might actually be more comfortable in the storm water drains than in her current position she cautiously descended the slippery ladder into the gloom.

As she reached the bottom Raph nudged her out the way in order to scoot back up to replace the cover.   
"Gees, take your time why don't ya?" he scolded as he leapt back down, the clamour of the storm shut out by the thick metal. Sidestepping out of the swift stream of water running through the tunnel she fixed him with a dirty look.   
"Well this isn't exactly what I expected." she drawled sarcastically. Raph shrugged a little defensively.   
"Hey, what can I say? When ya hang with me it's first class all the way!" Relieved to see her smile as she shook her head resignedly he grabbed her hand and led her off through the labyrinth.

Tausha soon lost her bearings as Raph piloted them through the warren of tunnels. He stopped briefly for a moment to grab a black skate-board tucked above a large overhead pipe, next to another access ladder, before they were off again. Raph had mentioned the tunnels he and his family used to travel around the city, but she was amazed by the amount and complexity of the infrastructure hidden under the streets.

They travelled mainly in silence, Tausha concentrating on keeping her boots out of the chill water, and dodging the cascades that added to the flow. To begin with she tried to keep track of the twists and turns they made, here ducking through a subsidiary so low they had to crouch, next dashing through a tunnel so large the ceiling was lost amid the gloom and ever-present pipe work. Soon, however, if it hadn't been for the fact she never recognised passing the same point again she was almost convinced they were heading in circles, so gave up trying to figure out even what direction they were headed.

Finally Raph lead her into a relatively dry passageway. Shoving on a rusted metal door set in the wall he ushered her into a dark room. He flicked on the banks of overhead fluorescent lights to illuminate what seemed to be a disused chemical storage area. The walls were lined with concrete 'pigeon holes', some still containing old drums, canisters and bottles. The centre of the huge square room was dominated by a bunded area containing four concrete stands for large cylindrical tanks. Three were vacant, the last still holding its corroded vessel. Metal beams were arched over the top of the structure, bolted to the ground on either side, securing the tank in place. Of the three vacant stands the bolt holes and cracks on the two closest to the door had been patched to create smooth arcs.

Stepping over the low wall surrounding the tanks Raph motioned for her to follow.   
"So what d'ya reckon? Pretty cool, huh?"   
"Yeah, what is this place?" Raph shrugged.   
"Dunno really. Don thinks this stuff was used for maintenance. You know, killing off vermin and sanitisin' the water. Seems the cure was worse than the problem 'cos most of the containers we've found in here had cyanide and other pretty nasty stuff in 'em. Don't worry" he assured her as she gave him a worried glance "there wasn't that much left here when we found this place, and we've cleaned up what was left. You got nothin' ta worry about." "Okaay…, so what now, huh?"   
"Now I show ya what this place is really good for!"

Leaping on his board Raph sped over to the nearest stand, jumping neatly onto the bottom of the curve, his impetus driving him half way up the slope. Enjoying the opportunity to show off he spent the next few minutes performing various tricks and flips, dismounting with a somersault where he caught his board in mid air to tuck it under his arm as he landed with an elaborate bow to Tausha's applause.   
"Wow! That was cool!" she enthused, walking towards him.   
"You want me to teach ya how to do it then?"   
"Oh, I don't think so. Last time I tried standing on one of those I ended up losing most of the skin off my elbow!"   
"Heh, really? Well bet you didn't have a master like me for a teacher then, did ya?" She failed at giving him a reproachful glance, her grin spoiling the expression.   
"No, I guess not."

It wasn't too long before Tausha managed to balance on the board, Raph half supporting her with his hands on her hips, using his hold to push her gently over the smooth concrete. A lot of giggling from both, and a slightly bruised rump for Tausha later she was cautiously skimming about on her own, though braking was still a bit of a challenge. She had just completed a very clumsy and halting turn at the far end of the enclosure and was starting to head back when Raphs' shell cell sounded.

"Hey Leo! What's up?" he asked, a little concerned as to why his brother would be calling him in the middle of the night.   
"You're late for breakfast, that's 'what's up'. Where the shell are you?" Leo's tone didn't invite a glib response. Before Raph could answer Tausha collided lightly with his back. Wrapping her hands round his shoulders to steady herself, her face angling past his shoulder, Raph could see the colour drain from her face as she asked,   
"Breakfast? What time is it?"   
"What the…? You're with Tausha? What the bloody hell is going on Raph?" Ignoring Leos' demanding glower and Raphs' growl in response she grabbed the phone.   
"What's the time, please?" a desperate appeal. Shocked by the fear in her eyes Leo capitulated.   
"It's just gone five thirty, why?" Ignoring him again as she dropped her hand holding the phone to her side, her shoulders slumped she addressed Raph in a quiet, unsteady tone.   
"Oh shit. I'm gonna be late."

Her distress shoving his anger at his brother's queries out of his mind Raph grabbed her wrist and liberated his phone as he started to lead her quickly from the room.   
"Listen Leo, gotta get her back. I'll be home before six thirty, just start without me alright?"   
"This isn't about practice, Raph. Don't you…!" Leo's protest was cut short as Raph hung up, turning the phone off before he shoved it back in his pouch. As quick as he could he guided Tausha back to the ladder next to where his skate board had previously been stashed.

Exiting first to push back the heavy cover and check the coast was clear Raph reached back to give her a hand to clamber out of the man hole. Despite not seeing it in the daylight before Tausha quickly recognised the alley that ran along side the building that was their meeting point. The pale sky, still streaked with tattered remnants of cloud, threw a clear light into the passage. Moving in the darkness that still clung in the lee of the high walls they moved stealthily towards the mouth of the alley.

At the point just before their cover vanished where the alley emptied onto the street, already starting to stir with early morning traffic, Tausha stopped Raph with a light hand on his arm. Stepping past him, half into the light her eyes urged him to stay hidden.   
"You gonna be alright? I'll come with, if ya want." She gave him a sad smile.   
"No, I'll be fine. You'd better head home." She looked away for a moment, her eyes shining with unshed tears as she met his again. Before he could react she pressed a brief kiss to his cheek.   
"Thank you" she whispered. Then she was gone.


	11. Chapter 11

A/N: Oop! Got my first plot hole, that I've found so far anyway! In Chapter 2 of this story I mentioned that Raph hid his sai under his mattress and threw himself down on his bed. I hadn't read too many fics back then, and hadn't seen any episodes featuring the guys' bedrooms! (Still haven't, hanging out for 'What a Croc' to air in a few weeks). Anyway, got curious as to why so many fics mentioned Raph had a hammock and took my query regarding the origins of this to the forum over at Mikey's. Thanks to all those who let me know it originated in the current cartoon. Since this fic is based (roughly) on this series, and 'cos the idea of Raph having a hammock appealed to me (and gave me a few little plot bunnies) he now has a hammock in this story! Once this fic is completed I am going to reload the first few chapters in the easier to read format, and fix up any little mishaps like this. (Hey, this is my first 'serial' fic, have to stuff it up somewhere along the line, lol!) If you do spot any other inconsistencies/mistakes (spelling/grammar/character flaws) please feel free to let me know.

Disclaimer: I don't own the TMNT, or any related characters (much to their relief, I'm sure!) If there is anything else in this story you recognise from somewhere else, then I don't own that either.

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Raph trudged to a halt outside the sewer entrance to the lair. With a ragged sigh he leant his forehead against the cool brick. The whole way home he'd battled the urge to just hop on his skate board and race after Tausha. Though he wasn't entirely sure if the growing dread that had congealed into a tight cold lump in his gut was caused by his worry about what may happen to the girl, or what he was expecting to face. Standing straight he steeled himself with a deep breath, settled his bandana and opened the door.

He'd hoped to see them over in the dojo area, going through their usual morning practice, but of course they weren't. Instead they were still sat at the table, the breakfast dishes hadn't even been cleared yet. They all stopped and stared in silence as Raph dumped his board with a clatter and sauntered towards them. Except for Mike, he was busy inspecting the table top, hands gripping the sides of his wooden chair, one foot rhythmically scuffing the floor. Don looked pale; worried as he always was when it was obvious an argument couldn't be avoided.

Leo had risen as Raph had entered. Now he stood beside their Sensei at the head of the table nearest the door. Arms crossed, feet square, he was actually scowling so deeply his eyes were barely slits, teeth glinting in a small snarl. For some reason it gave Raph a sense of satisfaction to see that he'd managed to rile his brother so. The feeling quickly evaporated however, as he looked to his father. Splinter had turned in his chair to watch Raphs' entrance. He didn't look particularly angry or upset; just old, and very tired.

Raph stopped just before the rise in the floor level. Crossing his own arms defiantly and turning his head to the side with a snarl of his own, he couldn't bear seeing the disappointment in his sensei's eyes gazing levelly at him. After a moment Leo broke the tableau, stepping down to confront Raph face-to-face. A jutting finger added emphasis to his words.   
"What the shell have you been doing Raph? You've been seeing that darn girl all this time, haven't you?" Leo accused.   
"So? What's it to you, huh?" Raph embraced the opportunity to challenge his brother; at least it was a distraction from their father's perturbing expression.   
"What's it…? She's the damn enemy Raph! It's my job to protect you from scum like her."   
"Grrr! You c'n shove ya damn protection, I don't need it. And she's not a friggin' enemy…"   
'Tak'. Impervious to their surroundings, Splinter's cane rapping against the floor did little to quell the dispute.   
"She does a damn good impersonation of a Foot Soldier then!" Leo interjected "Why the hell is she spending time with you, what have you told her?"   
"She's not with the fuckin' Foot!"   
'TAK.'   
"An' why wouldn't she wanna spend time with me? You're just fuckin' jealous that I've met a girl who I _can_ trust!"   
"Enough!" Both boys jumped back in surprise as Splinter's staff sliced between them, grazing their noses, separating them before they could resort to blows.

Splinter stood on the ledge above them, hands now folded atop his cane, and waited for his sons to dispense the obligatory evil looks and turn to give him their attention.   
"Bickering solves nothing." Splinter admonished sternly but calmly.   
"Sorry Sensei." Leo muttered ducking his head in deference. Though he remained silent Raph inclined his head slightly for his master as well.   
"Leonardo, I know you mean well. However, this is an issue that I need to resolve with Raphael. Please return to your seat." With a respectful, if slightly hesitant bow Leo complied.

Despite his annoyance Raph found himself wishing his brother hadn't moved away. Being left alone to face his father stood above him was suddenly a very disheartening prospect. Bracing himself for his inevitable punishment he kept his eyes fixed on the step where Splinters' claws rested, his tail tucked tightly across them.

Silence.

Curiosity finally made him look up to meet his father's gaze. Again there was no sign of the expected anger. Just a sadness that Raph couldn't bear to face, dropping his eyes back to the step. He heard Splinter give a small resigned sigh before he quietly started his lecture. There was no harshness to his level tone.   
"I am disappointed in you, my son. You have deceived me. And you have breached the agreement we made regarding your free time above ground. You made me a promise you would return by four thirty am." Normally Raph would have argued the points. But Splinter's almost emotionless speech seemed to drive each word home harder than any words spoken in temper could.

The knot that had fixed itself in his throat when he had glanced up to see his father's expression tightened a few notches as he realised that in essence his sensei was right. The renewed quiet seeming to weigh on his shoulders, Raph found himself hoping his sensei would just set his punishment and be done. Anything would be better than having to endure this silent shame. Finally Splinter spoke, even more quietly than before.   
"Please go to your room."

Almost of its own volition Raphs' head jerked up in shock. No grounding, no extra chores, no punishment at all? He just stood there, mouth agape. Surely Splinter wasn't done yet. However, the old rat had dropped his own head to the side, eyes closed as if he were trying to nap whilst stood on the step. Raph almost followed the urge to reach out and touch Splinter to make sure he was awake.   
"Now." Splinter murmured.

Tentatively Raph complied. He couldn't help constantly glancing at his master as he made his way up the stairs, but the old rat never moved. Very gently closing his door so as not to make a sound, he leant his back against it. He looked down in surprise as a droplet of water hit his foot, then he realised his cheeks were wet with tears. With a loud growl he threw himself in his hammock, curled up around his pillow burying his face in the end of it and cried like he hadn't done in years.

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A few moments after Raph had disappeared behind his door Splinter had silently made his way to his own room, sliding his door shut with a quiet but definite 'clack'. The three brothers looked at each other in disbelief. Obviously practice was cancelled for today, but even Mike felt the overpowering need for quiet. Instead of whooping and flipping about as he usually did on the rare occasions they were given a day off he solemnly started gathering together the dishes and carrying them through to the kitchen. Unsure what else to do, Don and Leo leant a hand.

Once the chore was complete the three went their separate ways in the lair, an unspoken agreement to maintain the peace between them. Mike headed for his room for a day reading comics. Don to his lab planning on catching up with some research, no possibly volatile experiments today. Leo moved to the far end of the dojo, going through some basic stretches and katas, keeping watch for any movement from either his itinerant brother or his sensei.

By midday there had been none. Growing concerned Leo fixed a tray of tea and rice cakes, gently knocking on one of the wooden struts of his father's door.   
"Enter." Leo could barely hear Splinter's voice through the thin rice paper. His sensei was sat in meditation. Most of the candles set about him had already extinguished themselves in their own pools of wax. Leo placed the offering on the floor before his master and bowed deeply, despite Splinter still having his eyes closed. Kneeling on the opposite side of the tray he folded his hands in his lap and waited patiently.

Gradually Splinter returned, opening his eyes and giving his son a small smile in thanks for the serving of lunch. Leo briefly returned the gesture before he busied himself pouring the tea.   
"What do we know of this girl?" Splinter quietly queried after taking a sip of the revitalising liquid. Leo reported.   
"She is a Purple Dragon and a Foot Soldier. I have seen her in one of their uniforms. She has some martial skill. In the fight I observed between her and Raphael she was armed with a ninja-to and also utilised the saya much like a tonfa. From that encounter I had assumed they were enemies. Given Raphael retrieved his sai I had also assumed that was the end of the matter. I do not know why she assisted us with Michelangelo's escape. I do not know why she since has seemed to have formed a friendship with Raphael."   
"What do you suspect?" Leo took a thoughtful sip of his own tea before answering.   
"That she is not to be trusted. I fear her goal may be to obtain information or to sow discord amongst us, or both." quietly he added "I believe so far she has succeeded."   
"Indeed." Splinter agreed softly. "However, I would prefer more definite information regarding her motives, and alliances." Leo bowed to accept the mission.

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It was late. Raph didn't know how late since a replacement for his last alarm clock hadn't been found yet. Some things even Donnie couldn't fix, and Raph was starting to fear this upset he'd caused was one of them. It was eerie. No one had so much as knocked on his door, and there had hardly been a sound in the lair all day. Raph figured it must be getting close to dinner time given his stomach was harshly reminding him he hadn't eaten anything but a handful of popcorn for almost 24 hours. Maybe this was his punishment. Sure as hell felt like it.

Roughly hauling himself off his hammock he started pacing to distract himself from his nagging stomach. Splinter hadn't said he had to stay in his room, or skip any meals. Not that refusing his sons nourishment had ever been issued as a punishment before. Still Raph felt uneasy about leaving his room without permission. Unfortunately his sudden activity after being curled in bed all day awoke a couple of other organs that started clamouring for their own piece of attention.

Cautiously Raph opened his door a crack and peered out. There was no-one in sight, the three other doors set in the longer walls of the alcove leading to his brother's rooms all closed, no sound from the main room below. The bathroom door at the end was open a little, beckoning him. Stealthily he left his room and moved towards his goal, his steps getting quicker as he approached, the organs in question suddenly increasing their clamouring in anticipation of relief.

A short while later Raph stepped back out into the alcove, meandering towards his room. He dallied outside his door for a moment, wondering if he should head downstairs to check everything was alright. That they hadn't actually deserted him altogether as the mocking quiet suggested. But not wanting to possibly make matters worse he opted for staying in his room until he was told otherwise.

Slumping down to sit on his weight bench it occurred to him that if his master had ordered him to stay in his room for a set time he would have been searching for any opportunity to escape or shorten his sentence, preferably without more time being added to his penalty. This time however, Splinter had thrown him. This lack of a real punishment, or the impending dread of what could possibly come after this, gnawed at Raph. Along with his worry about why Splinter hadn't been irate as he'd had anticipated. His master's sad, almost passive attitude made Raph feel rotten, as if he'd physically beaten the old rat.

He was startled from his thoughts by a sharp rap on his door. Feeling suddenly elated he reached the portal in a bound and swung it open to reveal Mike holding a wonderful tray carrying a large bowl of hot soup, a couple of rolls and a jug of water. Raphs' grin dimmed slightly as his nose informed him of the broth's flavour; French Onion. Definitely not his favourite.   
"Hey bro, thought you could use some sustenance." Mike beamed a bit louder than was necessary. Obviously the weird quiet was getting to him too.   
"Heh. Yeah, thanks." Raph stood back to let Mikey carry the tray through and balance it on his desk. Ravenous Raph immediately sat and started tucking in, only noticing Mike was leaving as he saw him closing the door behind himself. Having a mouthful of soggy bread Raph couldn't yell anything coherent in time to call his brother back. Feeling dejected again at the resumption of his isolation Raph returned to slowly finishing his meal.

Picking up the bowl to help scoop out the last of its contents Raph noticed a sheet of paper had been folded and hidden beneath it. Opening it hesitantly he recognised Mikes' beautifully detailed artwork.   
'_Raph and Tausha sitting in a tree…_' the next line of the ditty was represented graphically with the two sitting in the fork of an oak tree. Cross-legged, hands in laps, lips outstretched and barely touching in the kind of 'innocent' kiss usually reserved for particularly soppy valentine's day cards depicting a couple of kids. The doodle was framed in sickly pink love hearts that bubbled up from the slight point of contact.

"GRRR!" Raph almost couldn't believe his brother would make fun of him after what he'd been through today. Almost. The note crumpled into a tight little ball before he flung it, though it didn't have the desired effect of knocking down the door and flattening his laughing brother behind it.   
"Fuck off, Mike! She is not my fucking girlfriend!" He really wasn't in the mood for this.

The giggling slowly subsided to silence for a while before a second folded sheet scooted under Raphs' door. At first he ignored it, but curiosity won out in the end. Cautiously opening the note it revealed a similar image. However, this time the note scrawled across the top read;   
'_OK, OK. So you won't mind this then? Mike and Tausha sitting in a tree…_' this time the cartoon showed the new couple in question in a similar local, but locked in a very passionate tangle of limbs and loose clothing. Bright orange and silver lightening bolts shot from the scene.

The paper disintegrated in his hands before he tore open his door and pelted down the alcove, just as a pair of orange flying bandana tails disappeared behind the hurriedly slammed door located between his own and the bathroom. He knew from experience that he was thumping the wood with enough force to knock it off its hinges; the little bastard must've chocked something against it. The muffled sounds of Mike's hysterics were not helping matters.

Starting just outside Donnie's door opposite Raph gave his leap kick a running start.   
'WHOCK!'   
"AARGH! Fuck! Damn. Bloody little… MIKE! When I get my friggin' hands on you…" Raph hopped about nursing his aching leg, how the hell could a wooden door not disintegrate after that blow? It was sporting a large crack that ran from the point of impact to the top.

Turning in his jig Raph caught sight of Don standing in the alcove entrance, arms crossed.   
"You do realize that I'm not gonna be the one fixing that." He stated coolly, indicating the fissure with his chin. Still bent over his offended limb Raph snarled.   
"He c'n fuckin' well fix it. He started it!" Rolling his eyes Don came to kneel beside him, inspecting his leg.   
"At least there isn't any major damage here." Standing Don offered Raph a shoulder to lean on as he guided him back to his own room. Leo and Splinter appeared in the doorway as Don eased him down to sit on the edge of his hammock.

Shaking his head Leo started to collect the tattered remnants of paper littering the floor, unable to piece together what had caused the ruckus. Splinter spotted the crumpled ball by his foot, Raph wincing as his father retrieved it. To Raphs' relief he didn't straighten out the note, just kept it in hand as if it was of no importance, to be tossed later.   
"Donatello, please see to Michelangelo. Inform him I will wish to speak with him later." With a brief bow Don left.

"Great" thought Raph "now here it comes." Despite the dark thought Raph actually felt a little relieved at the impending lecture he was sure he was about to get from his father, probably soundly backed up by his brother. At least things were getting back to normal.   
"Leonardo, it is time you prepared for the task I have given you."   
"Yes Master." Leo bowed deeply before he left, taking the handful of rubbish with him.

Quietly Splinter closed the door and made his way over to take a seat next to Raph, the 'V' of the hammock pushing them together. Raph actually found the contact comforting. Splinter waited until his son hesitantly met his gaze.   
"Why did you not tell me of this girl when I asked you what you intended to do with the time you requested?" He queried softly. Raph shrugged, looking back to the floor.   
"Dunno, didn't think you'd approve." He murmured.   
"Hmph." Raph wasn't sure if his father were upset or stifling a laugh. After a moment Splinter continued.   
"Have I ever forbidden you to see any of your other friends?"   
"You have stopped me goin' out with Case a few times…" Splinter's sternly cocked eyebrow was enough to let him know that argument wasn't gonna work "but I guess you haven't really stopped us bein' friends."   
"No. Despite the reservations I had regarding both Casey and April, in the beginning. Do you know why?" Raph shrugged again, preferring to concentrate on trying to wear through the thick line of stitching holding the canvas of his hammock together with his thumb.   
"Because in both instances there were no real secrets. None of you seemed to feel a need to keep the relationships from me, even if you did disobey me on occasion. Has this girl asked you not to speak of her?"   
"No."   
"Then why haven't you?" Raph just shrugged yet again. After waiting for a moment in vain for his son to answer, Splinter unfurled the paper he still held, not too surprised by what was drawn there. Raph cringed as Splinter inspected the note, turning his head further away.

"Hmm. This is something I have begun to fear over the last few years." Splinter's quiet admission surprised Raph. He'd never thought of Splinter fearing anything other than the loss of his family.   
"Do you have feelings for this Tausha?"   
"I…, she's just a friend Sensei. I'm probably not gonna see her again anytime soon anyway." Raph could feel Splinter's look boring into him. "She wouldn't do anythin' ta hurt me." He muttered, almost inaudibly.   
"I sincerely hope so, my son. However, some of the deepest hurts we cause to ourselves. I hope you do not have any unrealistic expectations. To me you are all amongst the most beautiful and honourable individuals I have had the pleasure of knowing. Unfortunately very few share my opinion. If I could change anything for you, it would be to eliminate the short-sightedness that most seem to suffer. But I cannot." With a sigh Splinter rose, placing the note on the desk before he turned to address his son again.

"I suppose a punishment is in order." Raph sat straighter, ready to accept his due.   
"I think it is plain that since you have breached our agreement it is no longer valid. However, since it is also obvious that no consequence I impose seems to deter you I will only ask that you swear to me you will never keep something such as this from me again."   
"I swear, Father." Splinter paused for a moment, searching for the truth of the matter in his sons' eyes before nodding his acceptance of the pact. He started to make his way towards the door.

Feeling strangely cheated at not being given a punishment Raph called after him.   
"And I'll do all the chores for a week…, just to, um… I dunno… prove I mean it?" Splinter gave his son a relieved smile.   
"I know you mean it. But if you feel that doing the chores will help you make amends then by all means I am happy for you to do so." He paused in opening the door and added with wry grin.   
"Just no cooking, I have been informed that your brothers do not feel it is fair for them to have to suffer for your misdeeds." Raph nodded begrudgingly, convinced he was nuts for actually asking for this, but also oddly determined to prepare at least one meal over the next couple of days…


	12. Chapter 12

A/N: Time to sample some surface terrain! I've gotten heaps of info regarding New York's layout from a website called nycvisit. -shrugs- I know it's nuts, but researching this kind of detail is part of the fun of writing for me. Anyway, there are quite a few references to specific neighbourhoods over the next couple of chapters. I hope it doesn't make it too confusing as to where the characters are actually located. If it is, be sure to let me know!

Disclaimer: I don't own the TMNT, or any related characters (much to their relief, I'm sure!) If there is anything else in this story you recognise from somewhere else, then I don't own that either.

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It had taken Don a good couple of minutes to help shove Mike's door open. Finally squeezing through the gap to discover what on earth Mike had wedged behind it. It was the massive metal sea chest Mike had claimed, with a lot of help from his brothers, from the rubbish dump a few years before. It usually sat at the end of his bunks. Just how Mike had gotten the monolith on its end without help, and without a sound was beyond Don for a moment, until he spotted the sturdy rope above his head, tied to the top handle. The rope still ran over the now badly bent metal barrier at the end of Mike's top bunk. A couple of short wooden poles on the floor testament to how he had managed to roll it up behind the door fast enough to thwart Raph.

"Gees Mikey, you have been busy today!" Mike just giggled at Don's amazement. "Why don't you put this much thought and energy into your lessons and such, huh?"   
"'Cos they ain't half as much fun! Just wish I coulda seen his face."   
"You're lucky you didn't." Don admonished, though he couldn't help catching Mike's infectious grin. He wasn't sure which was more incredible. This proof of his brothers understanding and ability with basic mechanics and physics, or the fact he'd cleaned the floor of his own accord to make room for the apparatus.

Later that night Don found himself in control of his own little invention, using the surveillance micro-bot to infiltrate the Purple Dragon headquarters. Leo looked intently over his shoulder as he guided the robot through the passageway at the rear of the warehouse, having to wait to sneak through the doors as punks came and went.

Two hours passed without incident, or luck at discovering Tausha's whereabouts. Don had only managed to investigate one and a half floors within the building to Leo's satisfaction. The going made tedious as Leo insisted the micro-bot infiltrate each apartment to search for clues, meaning they had to wait until someone opened the door for the micro-bot to gain entry and to exit.

Not wanting the risk of being spotted in the Battle Shell, Leo had been adamant they set up their surveillance outpost within the Sewer Slider in the tunnels near the Dragons' Headquarters. The layers of metal and concrete between the bot and the command post created a little static in the images being broadcast, further impeding their investigation.

Sitting up on the back of the vehicle, bored with his game-guy, Mikey started to tap on the overhead pipes with his chucks, sounding them out at first before trying to eke out a tune.   
"Mike. That really isn't helping." Leo scowled at him. It was the first time he had looked up from his perch over Donnie's shoulder. Mike waited a moment until Leo's attention was fixed on the laptop screen again before he shrugged and resumed his tentative rendition of Safri Duos' 'Played Alive' on his makeshift drum kit.

Leo roughly rubbed his eyes with forefinger and thumb, willing himself to be patient. When they had left the lair he had felt a faint doubt they would be able to locate Tausha where they expected her to be. He had dismissed the feeling, attributing it to his usual concern that they complete their missions quickly and effectively. The nagging thought had grown however, and now he was almost certain of it.

"I'm going to head topside for a while. Don, you can keep going with this?" Don nodded resignedly.   
"Sure Leo."   
"Can I come?" Mike asked excitedly, practically bouncing on the back seat. Leo's brow furrowed for a moment.   
"Please?" Mikey whined, Don pleaded in harmony. Rubbing the back of his neck in a vain attempt to ease the tension there, Leo finally nodded.   
"Yes!" Mike punched the air.   
"Thank you." sighed Don, turning his attention back to the screen.   
"Call me if you spot anything, alright." Don nodded slightly again, hoping Leo wouldn't catch his dark look.

Reaching the rooftop Leo paused to confirm his bearings. The top few floors of the Dragons Headquarters were visible a couple of blocks to the North.   
"So where to now, fearless leader?" Mike prodded cheekily, walking past on his hands.   
"I'm not sure…" Leo scanned the horizon thoughtfully, waiting for his instincts to pull him in a certain direction. Mike flipped upright.   
"You OK bro?"   
"Yeah. I've just got a feeling she's out here somewhere…, we need to get her on her own." Mike tucked his hands in his belt, kicking a stray stone across the concrete.   
"What are ya gonna do when we find her?"   
"Get some answers." Leo stated bluntly.   
"Your not gonna, hurt her, are ya?" Mike sounded a little nervous, looked it too as Leo fixed him with a 'be serious' glare.   
"I just don't think this is such a big deal ya know, she's just a sweet chick who's stuck in a bad situation…"   
"If that's so we'll find out soon enough. We'll do a circuit of the warehouse. You go east, I'll head west. Don't get too close, keep out of sight and meet me back here within the hour. Call me if you spot her, or any trouble. Oh, and Mike?"   
"Yeah?"   
"No funny business. Not tonight."

---------- ----------

He had travelled further west than he had originally anticipated, crossing over the East River atop a lorry, following his gut instinct. He would have to start heading back shortly if he was going to make his own deadline. The rich smells, noises and colourful buildings of Chinatown failed to distract him. In the distance a storm front was building over the bay, the lightening playing amongst the clouds throwing the statues on a nearby temple roof into sharp relief. Something made him look twice at the shrine, something that wasn't quite right. Another flicker of lightening highlighted the oddity. The line of statues on the far corner of the temple had an extra figurine.

Curious he made his way over the narrow street, via a string of lanterns hung high between two buildings. As Leo cautiously approached the line of gargoyles from the far side of the temple roof his suspicions were confirmed. Facing away from him, she was sitting on the ridge of the roof before it became to steep to be accommodating, leaning back against a large duffle bag tucked up behind her. Her long hair was loose, flowing over the coarse material at her back. She seemed engrossed in watching the storm rolling in off the Atlantic.

A tile cracked under his foot as he moved closer, the sharp sound alerting her to his presence. She sat upright, turning her head to the left to give him a once over through a sidelong glance. She seemed to dismiss him as a threat despite his ready katana, turning back to watch the storm, though she didn't relax onto her bag again.

In silence Leo came up to stand over her. Her sword was tucked securely under her legs, within easy reach if she needed it, though her hands still rested on the tiled ridge she sat on. Sheathing his own blade he crouched beside her on the upward slope of the roof. She ignored him, staring out at the bay, her hair forming a curtain between them. Leo took the opportunity to appraise what he saw. Black tabi's, an all too familiar insignia worked in black stitching on the side. The pants were undoubtedly part of the same uniform. A loose black shirt worn open over a black singlet. Her right hand griped the edge of the tile it rested on, the knuckles jutting from under the overlong shirt sleeve badly grazed and bruised.

Looking back up to the side of her face, still hidden from view, he noticed the hair above her forehead seemed to be clumped together. Another flicker of light revealed the blood that had matted the strands. With a sure movement he swept her hair back over her shoulder. Despite her immediately turning away the damage he revealed was enough to make him catch his breath.

Her right eye socket was almost black, swollen shut. A deep welt of broken skin was etched diagonally across her cheek and up past the corner of her damaged eye. A second welt ran almost parallel below the first, traversing from near her ear, over split lips to her chin. Her nose was also swollen; Leo suspected it was broken, an ugly red crust clinging to the inside of her nostrils. Underlying the obvious injuries the whole side of her face and neck was a horrid mosaic of dark blue and purple bruising. Apart from turning her head away she hadn't moved, hadn't made a sound.

"Was this your punishment for being late?" Leo asked grimly.   
"No." Tausha croaked, swallowing slowly before she continued.   
"Decided I didn't want to hang around to find out what my punishment was gonna be. This was just his initial reaction."   
"Whose?" Tausha fixed him with a defensive glare from her good eye.   
"My fathers'. He's a bit… overprotective." She gazed back out to the distance again, tilting her head back in the light breeze. Leo bit back on his retort regarding the understatement she had made. Wanting to get his answers as quickly possible, antagonising her wouldn't help.

"Are you a Foot Soldier?" Leo fell into interrogation mode.   
"No." Her tone dispassionate, she didn't bother turning to him to answer.   
"Why do you wear the uniform of one then?" She shrugged very lightly.   
"I like black, and it's comfortable. It's not the full uniform anyway, ditched the jacket and mask ages ago."   
"Why?"   
"Prefer my singlet, and they made Raph nervous. Found I wound up with less bruises if he wasn't nervous." Leo's eyeridge quirked of its own accord, what kind of a relationship did this girl share with his brother?   
"How long have you two been… friends?"   
"Dunno. We started planning to meet around a month or so ago. Don't really know when we became friends. I guess we just got tired of tryin' to kill each other." Leo digested the information for a moment.   
"Why did you help Mike escape?"   
"Seemed like the right thing to do. I may be a Dragon, but that doesn't mean I have to like what they do. Besides, I owed you guys."   
"Owed us, for what?" She glared at him again.   
"For not following through on Raphs' threat, though I hated you for it at the time." She dropped her head as she continued quietly.   
"It would have been such an easy way out… " she muffled her face in her hands, failing to stifle a sob "why am I such a damn coward?"

Not sure how to comfort the girl Leo sat back, eyes averted until she got herself under control. With a last sniffle she used the end of her shirt sleeve to dab her good eye dry. Her hand fluttered over the damaged side of her face for a moment before she dropped it to her lap, the burst of emotion causing the pain to flare anew.   
"Are you going to be OK?" Leo couldn't help feeling some sympathy for the girl. He thought Raph had gotten off way too easy, but no-one deserved a beating like this as a punishment. She nodded slightly, keeping her head bowed, eyes closed, almost as if she were meditating. Leo gave her a few more moments before he started his queries again, his tone a little softer than before.   
"What has Raph told you about us?"   
"We shared a few stories. He gets a bit steamed over stuff. Heh, I think anyone would living with three brothers. Despite that, it's obvious to me he has a fair bit of respect for you all. Hmm, he did make the point that you could be a pain in the butt though." She levelled her good eye at him again, with a cheeky gleam. Leo looked away; stifling a snarl meant more for his brother. Two deep breaths and he returned her look with a serious one of his own.

"And what have you told your Father about us?"   
"Nothing, I'm not insane." She stated emphatically, her look questioning his grip on reality.   
"Then why were you beaten so badly if he didn't know who you were with?"   
"'Cos he thought I was out with a boy." Leo scowled in confusion.   
"You were."   
"No. I mean 'out' with a boy." She emphasised each word heavily, as if explaining something obvious to a simpleton. Leo clicked.   
"Oh. You… weren't?" Her glare critiquing his sanity returned. Leo noticed a flush of colour creep quickly up her pale cheek before her haughtily up-turned nose hid it from view.   
"Not that it's any business of yours, but no. It doesn't matter anyway, if he had found out, even given we're just friends, I'm damn sure we wouldn't be having this conversation right now. I know full well he'd throttle me if he knew I hung out with one of his 'enemies'."   
"Then why take the risk?" She chewed softly on the undamaged side of her lower lip for a moment.

"'Cos I needed a friend, I guess. Raph's the only real friend I have here. I know I shouldn't have let him take the risk of getting caught with me, but if I didn't… He's really helped me get my head straight. To me he's proof that anyone can make a good life for themselves. You've just got to have the guts to fight for it. Or, to run, at least…"   
"Is that what you're doing?"   
"Isn't it obvious?"   
"You're not going to get very far sitting here."   
"No, but given a possie of Dragons are hitting up their customers for protection money all through Greenwich Village at the moment, I didn't think it too wise to risk traipsing through the middle of it just yet. I figured it would be quicker to just wait out here than to take the long way round." Leo nodded in understanding.   
"Where are you headed?"   
"Port Authority Bus Stop, then as far as thirty bucks will get me. Well, twenty I guess. Still gotta eat at some point."   
"You want some help getting there?" Leo asked tentatively.   
"Heh. No. Thanks. This is kinda something I've got to do for myself. Gees, that sounds stupid." Tausha shook her head in self reproach.   
"It's not." Leo assured simply. She gave him a hesitant smile in thanks before he stood to leave.

"Hey!" she called after him, waiting till he looked back to her.   
"Tell Raph 'it was fun' would ya? And… 'good bye', I never got a chance to say it…"   
"Sure." After a shallow bow he leapt to the next roof, quickly disappearing from her sight. The first light drops heralding the storm started to patter on the tiles, a stray tear escaping her to join the rain. Carefully lifting her bag onto her left shoulder and scooping up her ninja-to, tucking it between her back and the weight of the bag, Tausha started out in the opposite direction.


	13. Chapter 13

A/N: I'm gonna dedicate this chapter to my long-suffering hubbie. Thanks to his creative efforts I've got around another seven months of my hormone induced creative flurry to get the rest of this series finished before the old routine of midnight nappy changes and 3am feeds reduces me to a slobbering mess incapable of intelligible conversation, let alone writing! Hehehe, looking forward to it immensely!

A/N 2: Just wanna be boring and thank **The REAL Cheese Monkey**, **artykidd** and **cynlee** for the reviews once again. Getting the email alerts for these really is a highlight of my day! Sad, I know. But hey, at the moment I'm a boring housewife with two hyperactive sons, my other highlights include getting through lunch without having to mop the floor afterwards, and being able to sit on the couch for more than 5 minutes without being dive bombed!

Disclaimer: I don't own the TMNT, or any related characters (much to their relief, I'm sure!) If there is anything else in this story you recognise from somewhere else, then I don't own that either.

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"You just fuckin' left her there!" Leo realised he'd lost count of how many times he'd wished his sensei had let him report in private. But Splinter had insisted there be no more secrets regarding this girl and asked Leo to report in the lounge area where all could have their input, however vulgar.   
"It was what she wanted Raph." Leo's internal struggle to keep his calm was barely visible to his family as he clenched his fists under his crossed arms even tighter.   
"To hell with 'what she wanted'! How could you leave a girl that's had the crap beaten out of her, alone, with half the street scum in this city after her, on a fuckin' night like this?" As if to emphasise Raphs' animated speech a low rumble of thunder echoed distantly through the lair from the surface above, the lights dimming momentarily in concert with the sound.

"My son, calm yourself." Splinter interceded.   
"NO! You damn well did this on purpose, didn't you?" Raph all but spat in Leo's face. Leo felt his restraint start to crack, returning his brother's scowl eye-to-eye.   
"What the hell did you expect me to do? Drag her back here kicking and screaming? It's over Raph. And it's what she wanted. You can't blame me for that."   
"Wanna bet? Ow!" The end of Splinter's walking stick rapped Raph sharply over his knuckles before he could finish drawing his sai.   
"Damn." Raph muttered darkly as he clutched his stinging hand, sucking on his knuckles to dull the pain. The end of Splinter's cane resting lightly on his chest was enough to make Leo back down, dropping his fists back to his sides from where he had started to reach for his own weapons.

Splinters' tone was stern.   
"Raphael, in this Leonardo is right."   
"You always think Leo's friggin' right…" Raph muttered, his fierce look still directed at his brother. Splinters' own eyes narrowing at his sons' insolence, he raised his cane again to ward off Leo's response.   
"No. I do not. But in this instance it is obvious that it was Tausha's decision to leave. Would you have your brother dishonour her wishes?" Knowing his answer would, at best, just earn him a longer lecture and a dozen extra flips Raph turned his back, silently mouthing a particularly obscene rant complete with vicious hand movements. Splinter let him vent for a moment before drawing him back to face him with a gentle but insistent hand on his arm.

"Perhaps this is for the best, my son. Surely it is in her interest to escape her Father."   
"Damn straight, but just how far does 'wonder-boy' here think she's gonna get, huh? When her body turns up floatin' in the Hudson, it's gonna be on your fuckin' conscience bro. And I'm gonna make sure you damn well feel it!" Raphs' hand tightened around the hilt of his sai again.   
"No, it won't Raph. It was her choice, not mine. Just because you're being a jackass about it doesn't change that."   
"Grrrr!" Raph launched his attack. However, the point of Splinter's walking stick nudged under his chin brought him up short. At a sharp glance from his master, Leo re-sheathed the blade he'd drawn to defend himself.

"Enough. I will not have you two fighting over this any longer. What is done is done. Leonardo, fifty flips at this end of the dojo, plus two for swearing." With a quick bow for his sensei, and a dirty look for is brother, Leo complied. Splinter dropped his cane, releasing Raph's chin.   
"Raphael, fifty flips at the far end of the dojo, plus eighteen for swearing. Go. Now." With a feral growl Raph obeyed. Don ducking his head to the side, well out of harms way, as Raph punched the end of the couch in passing. Splinter observed them from the ledge behind the sofa as they commenced their punishment before he continued, sternly addressing all of his sons.

"I do not wish to there to be anymore arguments, taunts or other trouble regarding this situation. If there are, the ones involved will undertake one hundred flips each. Regardless of whom the perpetrator is. Is this clear to all of you?"   
"Yes Sensei." Leo barked between flips. The same answer was given, a little less strenuously, by the two peering over the back of the couch. Raph just grunted what Splinter took to be an affirmation.   
"Good." With a frustrated sigh Splinter headed into the kitchen to prepare a much needed pot of tea.

"Gees! Women, you can't live with 'em…, eh?" Mike whispered cheekily to Don.   
"Yeah, and it's a heck of a lot safer living without 'em!" Don grinned weakly back.   
"Hehe. Ya gotta admit though, they certainly are good for entertainment value!" Mike's grin widened even further as Don sceptically shook his head.

"…forty eight…forty nine…fifty. Augh, finally!" Raph paused to stretch and shake out his arms and legs for a moment, before starting on his extra flips. The exercise had tired him a little, taken the edge off his battle lust, as it was meant to do. However, Raph still felt a tension in his muscles, an urging for action he just couldn't shake. He glared over towards the rest of his family settled in front of the TVs. Leos' profile as he sat on the lawn chair, still rubbing down his own limbs after his exertion, re-ignited Raphs' anger. Fists clenched he stalked towards the dojo wall, getting back into position to complete his punishment. The rough brick ignored the scowl he gave it before he flipped away backwards.

"…eleven...twelve…" The pause between each count was getting longer. His family ignored it, probably thinking he was just getting tired when, in fact, he was starting to pace slightly as he returned to his starting point. His counts still being spoken out loud enough for Splinter to hear, now interspersed with evil mutterings under his breath.   
"…fourteen…damn friggin' Leo, thinks he knows everything…fifteen…well 'e doesn't, he's got no idea, no friggin' idea at all…sixteen…grrr, what I'd give to beat some friggin' sense into that over blown, pompous, self-friggin'-righteous…seventeen…argh, why can't they see that this just isn't right?...eighteen!" Raph lent his back against the wall, head and shoulders aching slightly at the chill touch to his warmed skin. However, the cool of the brick failed to make much impact on the heated anger coursing through him.   
"This just isn't right at all."

A sudden conviction to do something, anything, locked in Raphs' mind. Glancing around, he dismissed trying to get to the elevator with a simple dash. In its position next to the TVs there was a good chance his brothers could jump him and stop him getting out that way. But time was of the essence. He didn't contemplate why, or even what he was really going to do. He just needed to get out, and get fast, now.

Over towards the sewer entrance he spied Mikeys' old hover board amid the jumble of regular skateboards, bikes, large boots and other detritus that seemed to gather next to the door. That particular toy was currently gathering dust as Don had refused to repair one of the jet packs. It had developed an uncontrollable wobble after yet another altercation where Mike had been forcibly removed from the device as he'd buzzed everyone in the lair.

Closing his eyes as far as he could whilst still being able to see slightly, hoping it would look to his family as if he were just resting against the wall, Raph waited. Only the tops of Mike and Dons' heads were visible where they were still sat on the couch. Gradually Leo relaxed back on the lawn chair, getting engrossed in the cheesy horror flick they were watching. It featured a leather-clad, sword wielding vampire chick fighting other immaculate looking bloodsuckers and a variety of other supernatural beasties.

After a few more minutes Splinter finally leaned forward to pour himself another cup of tea from the pot on the table. Whilst his Father's view of the dojo was temporarily blocked by the couch Raph made his move. Quick and silent, he was at the sewer entrance before anyone even noticed he had left the dojo wall. The clatter as he yanked the hover-board out of the pile got their attention though. Ignoring their yells and commands to stop he was out the door and running down the tunnel, desperately trying to get the jet packs to start up after weeks of neglect.

Instantly realising what their hot-headed brother was up to Leo, Don and Mikey launched themselves after him. First through the door Mikey led the charge as he spotted the unmistakable glow of the jet packs igniting down a nearby side tunnel. The three set off in hot pursuit, being guided by the flicker of light and noise from the small engines. A few minutes and many twists and turns later they skidded into a large tunnel. Leo smirked as he realised Raph must have forgotten the next side tunnel along had recently been blocked off by maintenance workers. The noise and glow emanating from the now shallow passageway betrayed his location.

With a triumphant "A-HA!" Leo leapt into the alcove, confusion quickly giving way to anger as he spotted the hover-board jammed into the wooden blockade, no Raphael in sight.   
"Oh gees, with that unstable booster Raph could have given us the slip at any point! The hover board may have just been turning itself at random…"   
"I needed to know that five minutes ago, Don." Leo scowled, already trudging past his brothers to begin back tracking their route for signs of where Raph had deserted. Hastily Don retrieved the board and followed his brothers back the way they had come.

Half way back to the lair they ran into Splinter. Using his sensitive sense of smell he pointed out an alternative route for them.   
"My sons, quickly, I believe he exited this way." Hastily Splinter led them through the labyrinth, turning into a narrow tunnel that terminated with an open manhole. The run off from the street added to the deluge pouring through the opening. Without pause Leo scaled the ladder, realising it exited in the street a short distance from their warehouse. He managed to duck his head back just in time to avoid the wake as Raph sped past on the Shell Cycle, though he still copped most of the greasy water as it fell into the manhole.

"Argh! That little… He's for it now!" Leo vowed as he scrambled out onto the street, running straight for the warehouse, and the Battle Shell. After sharing a quick concerned glance Don and Mike followed.   
"Take care, my sons!" Splinter called after them.

---------- ----------

The driving rain hadn't let up at all, though with his speed it helped to keep him inconspicuous to the few other drivers braving the streets at this late hour. The wind chill as he sped throughout lower Manhattan had him shivering so badly he had almost lost control of the bike a few times.

Luckily, he'd managed to run into a couple of small groups of Dragons. The quick, savage skirmishes helping to warm him for a while before the chill set back in as he roamed the streets. He had no real idea where to look. Leo had run into Tausha in Chinatown almost four hours ago, so he was sure she would be a fair way north of there by now. However, he had traversed nearly every street between there and Times Square with no luck.

He tried to comfort himself with the thought that she had probably made it to the bus port and was already heading out of the city. But instead of making him feel relieved, the idea that she was gone for good just left him with a disturbingly hollow sensation. As he made another sweep through Times Square, past the Port Authority Bus Terminal, a red light warned him he was running low on fuel. There was just enough left for him to make it home.   
"Damn it! Why can't anything go friggin' right for once?"

He pulled into a narrow alley to park up and ponder his options for a moment. He didn't get much of a chance as the storm unleashed a torrent of hail. The alley didn't offer any real protection from the onslaught. Grabbing a sodden cardboard box from a nearby trash pile Raph ripped it open and flung it over his bike, huddling between the vehicle and the alley wall under the makeshift roof. The hail struck the cardboard with such force it started to disintegrate where he held it aloft over his head.

Glancing about for some other means of protection he spotted a drainage grate a short distance away, and decided to make a run for it. Luckily the metal grid welded over the opening was practically rusted through. One sharp jerk with his sais ripped it open enough for him to drop through into the shelter below. He quickly took off his helmet, the tinted visor making it difficult to see in the gloom. Rubbing his arms to bring some warmth back to them and feel out where they had been bruised by the falling ice, he wandered down the small flooded tunnel. The chill water starting to reach past his knees, he searched for somewhere a little drier to wait out the hail storm.

The larger tunnel his subsidiary fed was flooded almost as badly. However, off to his right he spotted the squared entrance to a service tunnel that was still around two feet above the current water line. Fording the underground stream Raph hauled himself up into the comparatively dry passage, finding it led to a large plant room filled with disused generators.

Exhaust vents in the ceiling allowed a small amount of light to filter into the room. Wanting to keep moving to warm himself and prevent his muscles getting too stiff, he started to search for a tarpaulin or something dry and hopefully reasonably clean to wrap himself in. He paused for a moment as he thought he heard a faint scuff from the far end of the room. Dismissing it for probably just being a rat, he continued his search. The sound of a stifled sneeze made his head snap up. It definitely wasn't a rat.

Quietly placing his helmet on the floor he drew a sai into his right hand and stealthily advanced towards the source of the noise. He was certain it came from behind a large metal fuel tank in the back corner. Crabbing across the front of the tank to avoid being seen, he grabbed a metal support strut to swing himself round, adding impetus to his strike as he invaded the gap. Somehow he managed to stop himself, the tip of his weapon less than an inch from her good eye.

She didn't make a sound, just stared at the metal like a rabbit at headlights. She held her ninja-to off to one side with both hands, as if ready to thrust it at her attacker. However, they stood frozen for a moment, until Raph all but tossed his sai aside, horrified by what he had almost done. Snapped from her trance she glanced uncertainly up at him before dropping her own weapon with a clatter. Eyes downcast, she stood dejected before him.

Shocked at seeing the actual damage to her face, Raph reached out his trembling right hand to cup her pale cheek. Gently he ran his thumb beneath a small, but relatively fresh cut just in front of her ear.   
"They were already waiting for me there…" she mumbled. Silent tears coursed down her cheeks at the admission.

A tumult of emotions; the hurt of her almost leaving, the horror of seeing her like this, his anger and frustration, all balled themselves into a knot that wedged itself so tightly in his throat he could barely breath. The ache forced tears to burn in his eyes. All he wanted to do was lock his arms around her, protect her. But she looked so fragile he was afraid any kind of pressure would make her crumble like dust.

It wasn't a conscious act. He was almost surprised to find himself doing it. But he needed to let her know, somehow, that he cared, everything was going to be alright. Her eyelashes tickled slightly, fluttering against his lower lip as he touched the lightest of kisses to her swollen eye. He pulled back slightly to see her reaction. She stood stock still, barely seeming to breathe. Although she had closed her eyes, she didn't seem angry or disgusted.

Gently he pressed another light, hesitant kiss on her damaged cheek, tasting the salt of the tears beneath her eye. As he withdrew his lips again she almost imperceptibly lifted her head. Slowly he moved down her cheek, kissing away the tracks of her tears, each light touch lingering a little longer than the last, especially as he reached the corner of her mouth. The feel of her lips next to his own sent a thrill through his body. Unconsciously he gripped the metal strut he still held a little tighter, moved his right hand along her jaw a little until his finger tips brushed her hair.

As he pulled away she moved slightly to face him a little better. Cautiously he placed his next kiss gently on her lips. A pounding in his chest and between his ears almost threatened to overwhelm him as she tentatively returned the pressure.

"RAPHAEL!" shattered the moment.


	14. Chapter 14

A/N: Sorry this is a day late. Gees I hope it lives up to expectations!

Disclaimer: I don't own the TMNT, or any related characters (much to their relief, I'm sure!) If there is anything else in this story you recognise from somewhere else, then I don't own that either.

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They both jumped at his name echoing about the room, stepping back slightly to look at each other in astonishment. Raphs' face quickly evolved into a snarl as he turned towards the sounds source.   
"I'm gonna kill 'im!" He muttered evilly.   
"RAPHAEL! Damn it, I know you're in here! There's no point hiding." Leo continued to call out irately.   
"He's off to the right somewhere, Leo." Don guided.

Raphs' glare softened as he noticed Tausha backing deeper into the shadows behind the tank.   
"Just go, please. I don't wanna cause any trouble…" she begged softly.   
"To late for that! Come on…" Raph grabbed her wrist, pulling her after him with just enough insistence to overcome her feeble opposition. He led her down the passageway between the generators, turning to confront his brothers as he spotted them coming from the other direction through a gap flanked by two of the machines. Raph planted his feet squarely in defiance of the tirade he didn't have to wait long to face, Leo stalking towards him as he started his rebuke.  
"You've gone way over the line this time, Raph. And you!" he pointed an accusing finger at the girl "I thought you were getting out of town. What the shell are you doing here?" Tausha cringed against Raph. He dropped his hold on her wrist to protectively wrap it half way round her waist instead.   
"I tried… but I can't get out… there's just no way out…" she broke down into hoarse sobs, burying the less damaged side of her face in Raphs' shoulder, clinging fiercely to his neck. He gently gripped her shoulder, still glaring in defiance at his brother over it. To Leo's surprise he spoke calmly, though his tone had a dangerous edge to it.   
"She needs help, Leo."

Leo roughly massaged his forehead, trying to focus his mind past his anger to figure out how to get his thick-headed brother to understand how wrong this was. His efforts were soon interrupted.   
"I think Raph's right, Leo." Don stated quietly. Leo turned with an incredulous look just as Mike added his opinion.   
"Yep, me too." crossing his arms with a determined look.

Speechless, Leo slowly turned back, dreading the smirk that was bound to be on Raphs' face. He was wrong. Raph was still glaring levelly at him, only looking away as Tausha's weeping subsided. He turned his attention to the girl as she lifted her face, starting to mop up the soggy mess she'd made with her shirt sleeve.   
"Sorry 'bout this, I'm just so…tired." she murmured shakily. Her whole body seeming to slump in exhaustion.   
"It's OK." Raph assured simply, gently brushing a few stray hairs away from where they had stuck to her cheek.

Leo observed them for a few moments. She did look pitiful. She obviously hadn't been here too long as her clothes still clung damply in places. Her pants and boots were filthy now, and sported a fresh rip just below her right knee, the material stuck to her skin with dried blood from the wound beneath. She was trembling badly, though wether it was from cold, fatigue or her emotions he wasn't sure. He figured it was probably a combination of all three. The damage to her face was emphasised by the colour her crying had wrought, her hair a messy tangle spilling down her back. Despite his reservations, it was obvious to Leo that Tausha wouldn't get too far in her present state. Especially if the Purple Dragons had staked out the main transport routes in wait for her.

"Augh, alright." he muttered resignedly "I suppose we can take her in for a few days, just until she recovers her strength. OK?" To his surprise Raph gave him a half-smile.   
"Thanks, bro." he murmured quietly.   
"Yes!" Leo heard Mike exclaim behind him, not having to see to know his brother would be pumping a fist in celebration. Tausha blinked at him a couple of times in confusion.   
"Huh? No. I can't do that! I've caused you enough trouble as it is…" she pulled out of Raphs' arms, taking a couple of unsteady steps away. "I've just got to get out of the city and then everything will be alright…" Raph caught her by her shoulders, saving her from a stumble. Roughly spinning her to face him again he felt a pang of guilt as she winced at his rough treatment, his tone sounding harsher than he intended.   
"Are you nuts? You're not gonna get anywhere like this!"   
"I've just got to do this now…" Tausha tried desperately to explain "If I don't I may never get another chance. I've just got to get out. I can't take it anymore…" Raph interrupted her with a small shake.   
"Tau, you look like crud…!"

Leo stopped his brothers' exasperated argument with a hand on his shoulder. Thinking she might respond better to reason, he steadily explained.   
"We respect this is something you have to do, Tausha. But, it will only be for a few of days. Enough for you to get some rest and start to heal. Then we'll help you get out of the city, without the Dragons noticing you. Alright?" She gazed at him for a moment as if he were offering some amazing miracle, and then turned her incredulous look to Raph. He shrugged.   
"Yeah, what he said." he muttered begrudgingly, tilting his head at Leo. A small smile of relief lit her face.   
"Come on." Gently Raph wrapped his arm around her shoulders, slowly starting to guide her towards the chamber door. Walking past, up to Leo, Don whispered.   
"Gees, I think she was pretty close to cracking there."   
"No dah! Poor babe." Mikey added, joining them. Leo silenced them both with a stern look.   
"Go fetch her gear, will you?" He jerked his thumb in the direction Raph had approached them from. Leaving them to their task, Leo followed after Raph and Tausha.

As they reached the end of the service tunnel Raph got Tausha to wait on the ledge as he dropped down into the swift, chill water. Turning back he motioned for her to rest her hands on his shoulders. Instead of lifting her down as she expected, he swiftly buckled her knees and swept her up into his arms.   
"What the heck do you think you're doing?" she demanded, pushing away from him a little.   
"That's what I'd like to know…" muttered Leo darkly as jumped down beside them.   
"Just makin' sure ya don't get wet, that's the 'honourable' thing to do isn't it?" the barb aimed directly at his scowling brother. In silence Leo stalked past, leading the way out of the tunnels.

"Well, I can walk you know." Tausha muttered testily. He tightened his grip against her squirming.   
"I know." He grinned irritatingly back. She rolled her good eye at him, winced, then relaxed against him in defeat. For a few moments she listened to the roar of the water echoing in the tunnel, broken by the splashing of their passage.

"Thank you, I think." she whispered by his ear as she rested her head back on his shoulder. She saw him smile, but his response was cut off by two large splashes behind them as his brothers followed, the noise continuing as they quickly caught up. Don carried her duffel bag. Mike held her sheathed sword, the bike helmet hung over the hilt, in one hand and Raphs' sai in the other.   
"Hey bro, I'd give ya this back" Mike taunted, twirling the sai where Raph could see it "but ya seem to have your hands full there!"   
"Shut up Mike." Raph ordered gruffly, feeling Tausha ball up tighter in his grip as Don joined in Mikeys' easy laughter.   
"Quiet! All of you!" Leo snapped sternly. They completed their short journey through the tunnels in silence.

Reaching a manhole, Leo scaled the ladder to lift the metal cover. The storm instantly invaded with a heavy deluge, though at least the hail had stopped.   
"So much for her not getting wet…" He quipped sarcastically at Raph before he disappeared through the opening. Mike scooted past to climb the ladder next.   
"So's I can help the li'l lady out the top!" he explained half way up, ignoring Raph's deepening scowl.   
"You can help this out first!" interjected Don, heaving the large bag up to his waiting brother. Mike disappeared for a moment, then returned to shield the access from the rain as best he could, reaching down a helping hand as Raph tipped Tausha onto the steps. She ignored his help to climb out, but did give him a smile in thanks regardless as he quickly ushered her over to the open rear doors of a large van parked close by.

Leo was moving around the interior, retrieving towels and a first aid kit from various compartments. Mike sat her down on a swivel seat set in front of a lit screen showing four different coloured blinking dots converging on its' centre. Gratefully she and Mike accepted the towels Leo offered them as the other two leapt in the back, slamming the doors to shut out the tempest.   
"Gees, what an evil night!" exclaimed Don, using his hand to wipe the water off the top of his head as he accepted his towel.   
"Yeah, glad to be out of it!" Raph agreed, holding out his hand expectantly.   
"Ugh-ugh, you're not yet." Leo chastised, solemn faced. "You've still got to go fetch the Shell-cycle." He completed matter-of-factly.   
"What? Oh, no way am I goin' back out in that…" Raphs' argument quickly fizzled as Don nodded seriously at him in agreement with Leo. Mike was failing as badly at looking nonchalant as he was at suppressing his giggle.

"Grrr! Friggin' damn bike…" The rest of Raphs' mutterings were cut off as he slammed the door behind himself. Mike immediately letting his laughter loose enticed a smile from Don, and a relieved look from Leo. Suddenly feeling very self-conscious Tausha gave a brief, wavering smile of her own before dropping her gaze to inspect the floor, letting her hair fall forward to hide her face a little.

"We're not going to be able to do a lot for her injuries here, Leo. It may better to wait till we get home to clean and treat them properly." Don offered.   
"I know." quipped Leo "I'm actually thinking more about security." Tausha glanced up, curious. Leo pulled out a large triangular bandage from the first-aid kit. Smoothing it on the back of the seat he then folded it over a couple of times to form a long rectangle, around three inches thick. The point of the triangle still protruded another few inches from the centre. He held it up to inspect his handiwork.   
"Yep. That should do it." Keeping the material folded over his arm he started issuing orders to his brothers.   
"Don. Do you have anything you can check for bugs or wires with?"   
"Um…, yeah. Think I have a bolt detector in here somewhere. That should work." Don busied himself rummaging through storage compartments set near the floor along the side wall.

"Alright. Mike, get the winch ready to go and keep a watch out for Raph." Tausha watched briefly as Mike knelt on the floor to open a small hatch that produced a reel of high tension wire. Grabbing the flat hook set on the end of it he drew it out to wait by the back windows, kicking a small catch to produce a sound like something metal running down the outside of the vehicle.

"Ok. Tausha," Leo came to stand over her "if you're going to stay with us there are a few ground rules you're going to have to follow…"   
"I'm not bugged, or anything…" she offered uncertainly. Leo gave her a reassuring smile.   
"If I thought you wanted to endanger us, you wouldn't be here. But we have a lot of enemies out there, and unfortunately you are affiliated with some of them. Maintaining the secrecy around where we live is of paramount importance to us, I can't just trust it to your word. Do you understand?" She nodded lightly.

"Good. Now, the rules. One; you will not try to leave the lair without one of us escorting you. Two; when you do go topside, you will wear a blindfold as you are guided in and out of the lair, and you will not attempt to remove it until you are told to do so. Three; you will not attempt to contact anyone outside the lair, for any reason, without clearing it with me first. That means no phone calls, emails or anything else like that. Four; you will follow every order you are given whilst staying with us, and obey all of our house rules…"   
"Gees Leo! You make it sound like she's heading to boot camp!" Mike complained, turning to Tausha with a grin.   
"You'll be able to have a bit of fun, I promise OK!" he offered with a wink.

Leo's disparaging look was lost on Mike, Don interrupting it with a triumphant "A-ha!" as he held aloft a small black square gadget.   
"Found it! Was starting to worry I'd left it at home…"   
"What is it? Not another remote? Can I see?" Don held the appliance protectively away from Mikes' grasping hand.   
"No. Like I said, it's a bolt detector. It produces a magnetic field that is monitored by a receiver. When you run it over a surface, anything metal underneath causes the field to fluctuate, which in turn activates the sensor and it gives off an alarm."   
"Uh-huh." Mike uttered, eyes glazed momentarily.

Don sighed resignedly as he carried the device over to the girl.   
"Um…, can I ask you to stand up? This won't hurt at all, I'm sure." She gave him a nod with a half-smile, standing a little shakily with her arms held out to her sides. Holding the device around a quarter inch away from touching her and starting at the nape of her neck, Don ran the detector over her back and limbs with no results. He'd just stepped round to start on her front when Mike threw open the door.

A single headlight bore down on the truck at sickening speed, the bike sliding through a 180 degree turn to stop with its back wheel wedged on the bottom of a thin metal ramp that ran down from the back of the truck. The wake from the manoeuvre slopped a small wave into the truck, soaking Mikes' feet.   
"Augh! Thanks heaps bro!" Mike scolded sarcastically, lobbing the hook roughly at Raphs' head. Catching it with a smirk, he clipped it on the handle at the back of the saddle. Straddling the front tyre Raph guided the bike up the ramp as the winch did its work. He shoved the ramp back into place before he jumped into the van, slamming the door.

Raph finished roughly drying his face with the towel he'd snatched from Leo before he noticed Don seemingly running his hand down Tausha's tummy.   
"What the hell d'ya think you're doin?" He demanded, unconsciously twisting the towel into a garrotte. Don glanced up nervously from his job.   
"Just checking she's not been wired for surveillance. I think she's clean, Leo." His task completed with his brothers' nod, Don retreated to the drivers' seat. Mike quickly followed to claim the front passenger spot.

Ignoring Raphs' accusing glare Leo approached the girl again as she sank back into her chair.   
"OK. Get yourself strapped in. The sooner we get this on" he held up the strip of material "the sooner we can all go home." With a slight nod she started pulling on the seatbelt.   
"You're gonna blindfold her?" Raph demanded in astonishment.   
"Yes. Unlike you I think about the possible consequences our actions may have…" Leo kept his voice steady.   
"Fuck you! You're just doin' this to piss me off, aren't ya?" Raph advanced on his brother.   
"Believe it or not Raph, this isn't just about you…" Leo retorted, his voice rising despite himself.

"Please." Her quiet request and earnest look stalled their argument. "Don't fight. It's OK Raph, I understand Leo's point. I don't mind wearing it…" Raph turned his scowl to her.   
"Like hell it's OK! He's just tryin' to score a friggin' point…"   
"Raph." Her voice suddenly held an authoritative edge that effectively cut off his tirade. "It is OK." She stated the fact simply, the steel in her voice and eye negating further argument. Leo watched in awe as this small, battered girl calmly faced off his brother's evil glower with a steady look of her own. Moments later Raph was the first to look away.   
"Augh fine, whatever!" He threw his arms in the air as he stalked to the front of the van, trailing muttered curses. There, he threw himself down in the seat behind Don, turning his glare to the window over his crossed arms as he slouched down in a huff.

Leo couldn't help quirking an eye ridge as he looked back at her. The hardness quickly dissolved from her face as she gave him an almost apologetic half smile with a small shrug. A slight unease congealed in Leo's gut as he gently secured the bandage over her eyes, the point of the material covering most of the rest of her face. He was sure that something in her stern look had seemed almost familiar, but couldn't think where he had recognised it from.

It had been almost 48 hours since Tausha had last slept. The warmth from the vans heaters, the soothing thrum of the engine, the comfortable chair and the darkness all conspired to thwart her attempts at staying alert.


	15. Chapter 15

Disclaimer: I don't own the TMNT, or any related characters (much to their relief, I'm sure!) If there is anything else in this story you recognise from somewhere else, then I don't own that either.

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Tausha jerked awake, seizing the hand fumbling at her waist in as strong a grip as she could muster. Frightened for a moment as to where she was and why she couldn't see.   
"Hey, it's OK babe. We're not gonna hurt you," she recognised Mikeys' voice "just tryin' to get this darn seat belt off ya."   
"Oh." She released his hand hesitantly, slowly recalling where she was. She could feel a draft, a conversation floating on it from outside the van between Raph and his other brother. Don was it?   
"Well, it's definitely gonna take a bit of work to repair all the paint damage."   
"Yeah, yeah… I'll get started on it tomorrow. At least the gauges are OK."   
"True. Good idea of yours to protect them with some cardboard, by the way. I don't think I've got a spare headlight cover at the moment though. Maybe Case can get us another."

"Alrighty babe." Mike finally freed her and gently took her hand to pull her up.   
"'Time to motorvate!'" He quoted in a good parody of the TV advert for the local speedway. Tausha reached up to touch her blindfold.   
"Not yet." Leo's voice directly in her left ear made her start, she hadn't realised he was stood so close.   
"Just wait until we get inside. It isn't far." With that he took her other arm, the two guiding her out of the back of the truck. Her fatigued muscles had stiffened a little as she had slept, causing her to groan lightly as they protested the long step down.

"Gees, careful with her you guys. She's not a damn sack o' rice ya know!" Tausha couldn't help smiling slightly at the rough hint of concern in Raph's tone.   
"Heh! Don't worry bro. It's not like we're gonna dump her or anything…" She felt Mike wrap his forearm around hers as he spoke, the cheekiness in his tone a bait that Raph seemed to take as she heard him growl from behind them.   
"Enough guys. It's too late to be goading each other now. Save it for after we've all had some sleep, OK?" Leo chastised as she felt the surface they were walking on change from what she guessed was concrete to smooth metal. Here they stopped and turned, waiting for a moment as she heard a faint hiss before an unexpected sensation of the floor moving downwards. She gasped a little in surprise, gripping the hands supporting her a little tighter.   
"Don't stress, babe." Mike reassured, clasping the hand he already held with his other. "You're safe with us."

The movement halted as he finished speaking. Another hiss and they were walking again.   
"Ah, my sons!" The speaker sounded relieved, then concerned as he continued.  
"What is the meaning of this?"   
"Raph can explain." Leo quipped sternly, guiding the girl to sit before loosening the blindfold.   
"Raphael?" The speaker queried, the bright light causing Tausha to squint for a moment. As her good eye adjusted she realized she was sitting on a well worn couch. Mike sat on her right, Leo stood to her left. In front Raph was actually looking a little apprehensive as he searched for the words to explain the situation, to a four foot rat.

Involuntarily her jaw dropped, the objection from her damaged face at the sudden movement making her gasp slightly. Spotting her reaction Mike quickly covered his ears, cringing back against the sofa. The rat noticed it too, turning to approach her and ducking his head in a slight bow.   
"I am Splinter. My son did not tell you of me?" he queried gently. Tausha took a moment to recompose her face a little more respectfully before she answered diffidently,   
"Yes, but I was kind of expecting… another turtle." Splinters' eyebrow arched with curiosity as he glanced back at Raphael.   
"Uh…, didn't I tell you my Sensei was a rat?" he demanded of her defensively.   
"Um, no. Think I would have remembered that." Tausha stated coolly.   
"Oh, well... he is." Raph offered, waving his hand toward his father to prove his point. Feeling like an idiot under the glares from his brothers he directed his scowl to the floor.   
"Thanks for the heads-up." she muttered, the thread of sarcasm in her voice made him quickly aim his dirty look back at her.

Splinter moved to stand between them, facing the girl again.   
"I apologise if my appearance is disturbing to you. I am aware that many people have an aversion to rats." Tausha looked up at him, a little surprised.   
"Oh no, I should be the one to apologise for being so rude. I just wasn't really expecting…, um, I mean…I don't mind rats. The only things I really have an aversion to are venomous creepy crawlies…" Splinter halted her nervous rambling with a reassuring smile.   
"I assume that you are Tausha?" As she nodded Mike leant forward again, rubbing his chin thoughtfully in his best imitation of an evil genius.   
"Hmmm, so you don't like bugs an' stuff, eh?" She shot him an evil look.   
"Don't even think it, mate. Been there, done that already. And seriously don't wanna do it again..." Unable to direct her glare at Raph past Splinter she settled for closing her eyes to spare his family, though she couldn't help clenching her fist as she heard Raph snickering slightly.

"Can't you all be serious for once?" Leo demanded, gaining everyone's silent attention. Taking a quick deep breath he addressed Splinter in a calmer tone.   
"Sorry Sensei. Yes, this is Tausha. Apparently the Purple Dragons anticipated her plan to leave the city, and had members in wait to prevent her from doing so. We decided that, given her present condition, the best course of action was to allow her to stay with us for a few days. Then, we will help her to avoid another confrontation as she makes good her escape. She has agreed to comply with the security restrictions we have insisted on. I don't believe she presents a great risk to us."

Tausha nervously bowed her head as Splinter gave her a critical look over.   
"I agree that a few days to recuperate would definitely increase her chances of successfully leaving New York undetected. However, I am curious about one thing." His pause compelled Tausha to meet his level gaze.   
"Is it true that it was your Father who beat you?"   
"Yes."   
"Obviously he has some influence within the Purple Dragon gang. Whilst they are already our enemies I would like to know who in particular we may be antagonising in aiding you."

Raph felt a sudden roiling in his gut as it warned him he should have gotten that particular piece of info for himself long before it came to this. Tausha chewed her lip nervously before answering quietly.   
"His name is Humphrey Ulbrecht Nance…, the third." she added almost inaudibly. The stunned silence was broken as Mikey failed miserably to stifle his glee in the palm of his hand. Blinking his bulging eyes back into place he managed to utter,   
"So he's a bit of a 'nancy boy' then, huh?" quickly slamming his hand back over his mouth for a moment before he continued.   
"Or maybe he's more of an egg-head than Donnie! Ha ha hee, oh 'Humphrey', man what kinda name for a punk is that! Oh ho! An' th' third? Man, that's just plain…cruel!" Giving up his struggle to contain himself Mike grabbed his middle, laughing so hard he almost fell off the couch. His hysterics brought a grin to Raphs' face. Maybe he was just worrying over nothing after all.

Leo slowly wiped his hand down his face to cover his embarrassment, whilst Splinter observed Mikes' fit in stern silence. He waited patiently for his son to recover his wits. However, despite the small tic he had developed on one side of his mouth, Don was the first to step in with a rebuke.   
"I think you're thinking of 'Humpty' there Mike, not 'Humphrey'. And it's seriously rude to laugh at someone's name, especially if their daughter is sitting right next to you." Mike managed to sit a little straighter. Though his laughter started to trail off he still had a huge grin plastered on his face as he rested his hand on Tausha's shoulder.   
"Oh, I am sorry. Really babe. Heh he he. But how the heck can he survive in a gang like that with that kinda name?"

Tausha looked up from where she had been making a thorough inspection of the floor. The apprehension in her eyes helped to quickly stifle the last of Mikes' giggles. She explained with a slightly shaky voice.   
"Well, he's over seven foot tall and built like a brick shit-house for a start. Guess that kinda works in his favour." Don face faulted, quickly going pale as he asked.   
"He doesn't use a nick-name, like an anagram, does he?"   
"Uh, usually, yeah. How did you know that?" she queried. Don took a small step back.   
"Oh shit." he murmured, almost under his breath. Shocked at the unusual profanity from his brother, Leo asked in concern,   
"What is it Don? What kind of nick-name can you get from Humphrey Ulbre…" it was Leo's turn to drop his jaw, quickly recovering it to turn to a thoroughly confused looking Raph with a savage scowl.

"You made us bring HUN'S daughter home with us! Are you damn well insane? What the friggin' hell were you thinking even spending time with her in the first place!" The surprised expression migrated to Raphs' face, too shocked to fully register the fact he quietly muttered in his defence,   
"I…I didn't know." That didn't satisfy Leo.   
"Don't you dare lie to me Raph. How could you not know?" Raphs' usual response to confrontation kicked in.   
"I'm tellin' ya I didn't fucking know, Leo!" he growled back, clenching his fists. Tausha stood unsteadily to get their attention.   
"He is telling the truth, Leo. I don't think I ever told him. I didn't think it was really important…" Before Leo could respond Raph stalked over to the girl with an evil snarl, making her cower slightly.

"Not important? How the hell could you think that wasn't important! He's only the head of the fuckin' Purple Dragons! We've been sworn friggin' enemies for years, you stupid bi…"   
"Raphael!" Splinters' command cut through the tirade. "Whoever she may be, you will not use such foul language with a guest. And despite her lineage, a guest she is. I was going to allow you to undertake your punishment for disobeying my earlier instruction after you had rested. However, I think it best you undertake it at once. One hundred flips at the far end of the dojo. Now." Raphs' face and hands worked in anger for a long moment before he spun with a growl to head off towards the dojo.

Splinter returned his attention to the girl. Though technically she was still stood, she was very pale and trembling badly.   
"I'm so sorry." Tausha offered quietly, sounding close to tears. Splinter placed a reassuring paw on her arm.   
"You are not necessarily to blame for your Father's deeds. We will discuss this matter further once you have slept. This has been a long day for all of us. I believe we all could use some rest in order to clear our minds." Calmly Splinter started issuing requests of his three remaining sons.

"Leonardo, please fetch Taushas' belongings and ensure the guest room is prepared." Although he gave his master a respectful bow, Leo couldn't help but query,   
"Are you sure Sensei?"   
"Yes. You knew of her allegiance to the Purple Dragons before you allowed her into our home. I do not see how this information has changed that fact. I hope you do not doubt your own assessment of this situation?" Not wanting to disappoint his father, or necessarily admit his own failings, Leo bowed once more.   
"No, Sensei." As he left Splinter turned to the others.   
"Donatello, please fetch some medical supplies. Michelangelo, I am sure our guest would appreciate a light repast." They both bowed, though Don's was a little hesitant and Mikey's very shallow.   
"Sure thing, Sensei." Mike quipped, offering Tausha an uncertain smile before he ducked off to run his errand.

"Come along now." Splinter encouraged as he guided Tausha towards the stairs. At the top a wide ledge ran around the large oval shaped room. Passing the first opening in the wall, Splinter led her into the second passageway. Tausha noticed there were five doorways opening off it. Three were empty, the darkness within each room concealing its interior.

The first doorway to the left, and the one situated in the wall across the end of the alcove were both fitted with wooden doors. The one to the left was open, the light in the room revealing a single bed with a small bedside table tucked in a back corner of the large space. Her duffle bag had been placed on the floor at the end of the bed whilst Leo busied himself fitting the sheets. However, Splinter led her past to the closed door at the end.

Opening it he ushered her into a bathroom that looked like it was in the middle of being renovated. Along the left wall ran a long cabinet with a sink, but no doors on the cupboards. At the far end of it a shower recess was only partially tiled in a mosaic. The floor of the cubicle was covered in small piles of multicoloured tiles, an A3 notebook tucked behind them. In the other back corner there sat a dryer, its' door sitting loose on top of it, and a washing machine whose innards were piled in neat stacks next to it. In the final corner a toilet was situated. At least this seemed to be complete as Splinter sat her down on the closed lid.

As Splinter started to fill the sink with warm water Don entered. In one hand he carried a large plastic 'tackle box', in the other he had a wooden carry-all filled with jars and packets of stuff Tausha couldn't recognise. Dumping his luggage on the counter he and Splinter busied themselves extracting the supplies they wanted. A few moments later Leo and Mike appeared in the doorway.   
"I thought this may be more comfortable for you to wear." Leo held out a neatly folded parcel of her clothes. Tausha gave him a small smile in thanks as she took the offering. Splinter quickly ushering all his sons out of the room to give her some privacy.

Long minutes trickled by as they waited outside the door.   
"Do ya think she's OK?" Mike finally broke the quiet, starting to fidget. Leo gave a world weary sigh.   
"I'm sure she is Mike. April always took an age in the bathroom, so I wouldn't worry too much if I were you." Another long silence descended.   
"Hmm, perhaps we should check on her." Splinter conceded. He knocked quietly on the door. Getting no response he opened it, his sons crowding in behind him.

Tausha had changed into the white singlet and cotton shorts Leo had provided, her dirty clothes dumped in an untidy pile on the floor beside her. Her new outfit exposed the damage that ran the length of her right arm. Mainly welts, similar to those on her face, where she had attempted to block whatever had been used to hit her. She was sat on the toilet lid once more, and looked up in guilty surprise as they entered. It was obvious she had been crying. Quickly she dropped her face, hiding it with the bundle of toilet paper she was using to roughly mop away the wetness on her face.

"Hey babe, what's wrong?" Mike crouched in front of her. Gently he pulled her hands away, though she refused to meet his eyes. She shook her head brusquely, sniffing before she answered.   
"Nothin'. Sorry…"   
"Come on. You can tell me. A problem shared is a problem halved ya know." he cajoled. Tausha gave him a pleading look. Realising he wasn't going to give up anytime soon she relented with a sigh.   
"It's just that…, I've lost my only friend. I'm such an idiot. It's my own fault he hates me now…"   
"Hey, hey. That's not true." Mike squeezed her hands with care "We're all your friends too." Glancing up at the dubious expression on Leo's face Tausha didn't think that was exactly true, but remained silent as Mike continued.   
"And I'm sure Raph doesn't hate you. He's not that stupid. He'll probably just be grumpy for a while, but he can't stay mad forever. Believe me, I know. Though it might feel like it sometimes!" The cheeky note in his voice enticed a weak little smile from Tausha.

"That's it! Chin up, girl. Let's get you cleaned up a bit and into bed, and I promise it'll all look better in the morning. OK?" She nodded slowly, trying to stifle a yawn. As Mike stood to give Splinter access he caught sight of the colour on her shoulder.   
"Oh, cool tat ya got there." His grin fell as she responded by slapping her hand over the image, turning away with a grimace.   
"You aren't proud to wear the mark of your Father's organisation?" Splinter queried.   
"No. It wasn't my choice." She explained through gritted teeth. With a reassuring look Splinter gently grasped her wrist, pulling her hand away from her shoulder with a light insistence. Tausha resisted at first, and then conceded to allow him to take her arm to begin the task of treating the wounds upon it.

It wasn't long before Mike and Don were escorting her into her room. Tausha still felt a little sticky from the salve Splinter had applied liberally to her bruised face and arm. However, she soon forgot about that discomfort when Mike balanced a tray on her knees as she sat on the edge of the bed. The plain polony sandwiches washed down with green tea were about the best thing she'd tasted in ages, according to her long-suffering stomach. Though the banana and choc-chip muffin for dessert was absolute heaven. She wolfed the meal down as fast as her anatomy, and to a lessor extent her manners, would allow.

As Tausha finished Splinter poured her another cup of tea, adding the powdered contents of one of his packets to the liquid before he offered it to her.   
"It will ease your pain and help you sleep." He explained at her curious look. Taking a hesitant sip her face contorted a little at the bitter taste.   
"It's best if you just gulp it in one go." Don advised. Figuring he was probably right she braced herself and downed the contents of the cup. She still couldn't help a quiet "Blargh" afterwards though. Gratefully, she accepted the glass of water Mike offered her from the bedside table as he picked up the tray.

A moment later she stood, offering a deep bow to her hosts.   
"Thankyou." she said sincerely as she straightened. Mike shoved the tray at Don and helped to tuck the blankets around her as she settled in the bed. She didn't get a chance to thank him again as the drug quickly took effect.

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Raph practically crawled up the stairs after completing his punishment. Glad he was able to get it done and make it to his room without having to deal with his family, or her. Slumping to sit on the edge of his hammock he managed to dump his belt and mask on the floor before collapsing onto his back. He was just too damn exhausted and distracted to bother taking off anything else.

He was sure the aches infusing his body were from more than just the flips and hours roaming about in the evil weather topside. On top of that he was a little nauseous, as if he'd been punched savagely in the gut. He just couldn't shake an image that had settled in his minds eye. Tau looking all smug with Hun stood behind, his hands on her shoulders, leering "Sucker!" over her head. Damn it! How dare she claim to be his friend and then lie so friggin' blatantly?

A wheedling little voice pipped up from the back of his consciousness.   
"She didn't really lie; she just didn't tell you the whole truth."   
"No! If Splinter reckons I lied 'cos I didn't tell 'im I was hangin' out with that cow, then damn it I c'n get pissed off 'bout her doin' the same friggin' thing ta me!" He mentally roared in return. He thought back to the nights they'd spent talking. Yep. He'd definitely told her about their relationship with her father. Considering the language and examples he'd used to define that particular affiliation she surely couldn't be in any doubt they were serious enemies. Given some of the other stuff they'd spoken about, he still couldn't quite believe she'd kept something this significant from him.

How the heck was he meant to get through the next few days if she was gonna be hangin' about the lair? The last thing he wanted was to see her again. What if she was a plant, if she really was out to hurt his family? There was no way he could deny, even to himself, that any consequences of her coming here would rest squarely on his shoulders. To make matters worse Leo was bound to make his life utter hell over the next few days with his 'told you so' attitude. At least his brother hadn't caught him being truly stupid.

Roughly he scrubbed his lips with the back of his wrist, the leather strapping acting as a scourer. Utterly disgusted with himself he clenched his eyes shut, leaving his fist resting over his face as he tried desperately to disappear into the canvas supporting him. Gradually he started to relax. As his hand went limp against his mouth his little subconscious gremlin resurfaced. Dragging his mind back to the giddy feeling he'd enjoyed earlier as a result of a different pressure on his lips.

Tearing his hand away he tried to defy the imp with another mental shout.   
"It didn't mean a goddamn thing!"   
"No? Not even when she returned your kiss? It was what you wanted. Didn't that feel good?" the little rascal taunted. Raph rolled violently, causing his hammock to sway. He clutched his pillow to his front, burying his face in it to muffle the "No!" he couldn't help yelling out loud. He spent the next few moments pummelling the defenceless cushion as if he could drive the goblin out of his head with pure force.

The attack seemed to use the last of his muscles' reserves. Raph let his arm crumple where it would as a resigned sigh escaped him. Despite his body being completely fatigued he was convinced his teeny personal demon was looking forward to keeping him awake the rest of the night with this crud. Three minutes later found him snoring like a buzz saw.

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A/N: Well, you have to tell me now. Were you surprised at this little development, or did you have her Dads' ID pegged from the beginning? Hit the little button to your left and let me know! Please? I really would like to know if I managed to give it away completely before this.

A/N 2: The next few chapters may get a bit rambley, and they may be a bit late too. I've only managed to spend a couple of hours writing this week. Thankfully I had most of this chapter done last week. I'm just really tired all the time at the moment, even been asleep before my kiddies a few nights this week. Oh well, hopefully be over this phase soon, roll on second trimester! Anyway, if this story does seem to start to procrastinate about the point a bit too much feel free to use these –points to pile of hobnail boots-. And don't worry, I have an impressively padded rear, you won't be able to hurt me no matter how hard ya kick!


	16. Chapter 16

A/N: Sorry for missing last weeks update. Got a bit carried away with some other writing, namely another little 'future' one-shot I couldn't get out of my head any other way. Don't know if I'll post it anytime soon though, it is a little racy and I may just leave it till the series catches up, unless you wanna read it now? I've already started on the chapter after this, so next weeks update shouldn't be a drama!

A/N 2: Apologies in advance for the useless detail I've gone into describing the lair in this chapter. My hubbie, and a few friends that are more familiar with the comics are hopefully reading this, so it is mainly there for them. I have already re-written sections of the first half of this fic (no major plot changes, just a few tweaks here and there) incorporating some suggestions re: new tat details (thanks heaps GW) and improved martial arts terminology care of my hubbie (ta muchly babe!). Once this tale is completed I'll go back and update all the chapters, so if you do have any suggestions, complaints, reality checks or tips send 'em my way. All input is considered (if not necessarily accepted) and definitely appreciated!

Disclaimer: I don't own the TMNT, or any related characters (much to their relief, I'm sure!) If there is anything else in this story you recognise from somewhere else, then I don't own that either.

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Tausha wasn't sure if she was still dreaming. There were no windows or other obvious light sources in the room, though it was dimly lit with an odd blue luminosity. It reminded her of swimming underwater on a dark night, so much so she found herself taking a deep breath to compensate for unconsciously holding it for the last few moments. Sitting up she noticed the glow seemed to emanate from a small number of strange crystals embedded randomly around the otherwise bare walls.

Cautiously she opened the door and slipped outside. The passageway was lit a little better; there were more of the crystals on these walls. She stood with her back to the door for a moment, trying to remember her bearings. Leo materialising from the room opposite made her start. He didn't say anything, just stood, arms crossed with a guarded look.   
"Um. Bathroom?" Tausha asked hesitantly, feeling a need to explain where she was headed. Leo pointed to the door at the end of the alcove. With a nod she followed his direction.

Again she stood still for a moment as she re-entered the passage, waiting for her eyes to adjust to the gloom. Again she jumped as Leo seemed to appear from nowhere beside her. His expression was still grim, his tone impassive.   
"It's almost time we usually have breakfast. Are you hungry?" As she nodded he started to lead the way out of the alcove. Hoping to maybe break the ice a little she forced a small laugh.   
"Heh. You know I'm surprised I managed to wake up before breakfast. I was that tired I was sure I'd sleep right through!"   
"You did."   
"Huh?"   
"You slept all day yesterday. It's Monday morning." Leo's tone remained neutral.   
"Oh. Sorry…"   
"Don't worry. You obviously needed it." Tausha just stopped herself from walking right into him as he halted a short distance from the bottom of the stairs. She couldn't help feeling a little apprehensive as he turned to face her. She almost flinched when he raised his hands in a sharp movement, then baulked as the room flooded with light at his two sharp claps.

Leo adopted his guarded stance again as he waited for her drop her hand from over her eyes and give him her full attention.   
"Master Splinter believes we should follow through with our original agreement. So long as you don't prove to be any more of a threat than you initially seemed to pose."   
"I really don't mean to hurt you guys…" Leo silenced her quiet protest with a stern look.   
"Do you remember the rules we discussed?" Tausha nodded, starting to chew her bottom lip nervously.   
"That is an elevator." Leo pointed to a large, hexagonal metal door next to a bank of TVs.   
"You will not enter it without an escort, nor without a blindfold. That is an exit to the storm drains. You will not use it without an escort. That room is our armoury. I've stored your ninja-to and shinai in there. You will not go in that room without permission. The shoji screen over there leads to Master Splinters' room. You will not enter without Sensei's permission. Over there is Donatellos' Lab. You will not enter there without Dons' permission. The first passageway up there " he indicated the ledge this time "leads to our rooms. It's best if you stay out of there all together. Is that clear?"   
"Yeah." she offered softly, feeling a little overwhelmed.   
"Good." With that Leo strode off towards the far end of the room leaving Tausha to hurry a little to catch up.

As they walked she realised for the first time that she could fully open both her eyes once more, although the right was still a little blurry and tender. Not bothering to attempt conversation again she took the chance to have a good look round. Leo led the way across the top of a foot deep step that snaked across the chamber, dividing it in two.

To her right the lower section was dominated by a large rectangle of tatami mats, with a couple of well used punch bags hung along one wall. The only doors leading off this area were those that Leo had indicated led to the armoury and to the tunnels outside. The armoury door was back, close to the bottom of the stairs. The other was near the far end of the room. It actually consisted of two doors, the main was hexagonal in shape and large enough to allow a vehicle through, the other was a normal sized door, set within the first. There was also a fair sized pool of water situated between the dojo and the step. A small wooden bridge crossed it where it narrowed in the middle.

On her left, under the stairs, there was a dilapidated subway car. The seats had been replaced with a bench running the length of it. The bench top covered in all sorts of mechanical detritus. Between the railcar and the elevator there were two more doors. She had thought one was the 'lab' Leo had mentioned, but now she wasn't so sure. As for the other, he hadn't forbidden her from that one, so she determined to explore what was in there as soon as she could!

Opposite the elevator the higher level was broken by a ramp joining the two sections. On the far side of this was the bank of TVs. The old couch, a mismatched armchair and outdoor recliner were set around a low coffee table in front of the screens. To the side there was a small study desk set at a right angle to the wall, sporting a desktop computer. Nestled between the living area and a six seater dining table was the shoji screen door Leo had indicated earlier.

The final door led from behind the dining table into a long, remarkably well appointed kitchen. Leo flicked on the light as they entered, Tausha surprised to smell the subtle aroma of cooking rice. She waited near the entrance as Leo busied himself checking the timer on the steamer, putting the kettle on to boil and fetching a toaster and a heap of bowls and mugs from the cupboards.   
"Are you OK with rice and miso soup for breakfast?"   
"Uh, yeah." Tausha agreed with a shrug. "Whatever you guys normally have is fine by me." Leo finally allowed a little resigned emotion into his voice.   
"Well, that's what I try to encourage my brothers to have. But we do have cereal and all sorts of other rubbish, if you prefer." Tausha couldn't help but smile a little. She was definitely starting to see Raphs' point about his brothers' penchant for interference. Unfortunately that thought quickly led to others concerning her friends' reactions to finding out just who her father was.   
"Is there something I can do to help?" she asked, as much to distract herself as anything else.   
"Hmm, do you know how to make tea?" Tausha managed to stop herself from rolling her eyes, just.   
"Yep. Just show me where you keep everything."

A few minutes later she managed to escape Leos' fussing to follow his exact instructions on where to set things on the table. She'd just placed the tea pot when something creeping rapidly up her back made her yelp in shock. Contorting quickly around in an attempt to brush off the offending critter she was confronted with an inanely grinning Mike, his hand nonchalantly tucked behind his head.   
"Good morning, sunshine!" he practically sang, completely unfazed by her glower.   
"Augh. Was that you?" she demanded, still desperately trying to sweep off her back.   
"Dunno what you're talking about…" Mike chirped innocently over his shoulder, walking past a concerned looking Leo leaning out the kitchen doorway.

"Sorry 'bout that." Don stepped up with an apologetic smile. "I'm afraid Mikey doesn't really have an 'off switch', though he's not usually this bad first thing in the morning."   
"It's OK…" Tausha muttered in a tone that meant it was anything but. She almost walked into Leo as she tried to re-enter the kitchen.   
"Oh! Here, I've already served yours out." Leo managed to prevent the soup slopping out of its' mug. Instead of handing the meal over he carried it to the table, setting the bowl and cup on the long side so she faced the rest of the chamber. She was a little taken aback as he pulled the chair out for her and waited politely for her to sit.

Despite the protests from her stomach she didn't start to eat straight away, worried it might be considered rude. Instead, beginning to feel self-conscious, she took the opportunity as Leo left her alone to duck back to the kitchen, to attempt to finger comb the mess of her hair. There was no mirror in the bathroom upstairs and it had just occurred to her that she must still look an awful mess. The rough mats and tangles she had no hope of easily straightening out quickly confirmed that fact. She opted for just trying to get the outer layer in some sort of order for now, too distracted by her task to notice Don taking the seat to her right until he scrapped his chair up to the table, making her jump.   
"Oh sorry, didn't mean to startle you." he gave her his shy smile once again.   
"No. It's OK, my bad. Just don't want you guys thinkin' I'm completely feral, heh!" she flustered, quickly tucking her hands in her lap.   
"Don't worry. We know you've been through a lot. And, hey, who are we to judge you on what you look like? Just don't do the same to us, OK?" Don coaxed with a friendly grin.

Tausha smiled in return, but didn't get to answer. Distracted by the juggling act Mike performed not quite flawlessly as he dumped a bowl filled to practically overflowing with 'Fruit Loops' topped with a sprinkling of cocoa powder, a plate piled with jam toast, two apples and a mug of warm milk tinted with coffee on the table opposite her. After a huge yawn and stretch he started demolishing his feast, looking up after a few noisy moments to answer her bemused look with a cheeky grin.   
"What? I'm a growin' lad, so's I gotta eat me victuals!" his cockney accent way off.   
"Growin' inta what!" she muttered under her breath as Mike went back to inhaling his food, sharing a conspiratorial grin with Don as he sniggered slightly into his mug of soup.

She wiped the expression off her face, feeling a need to be serious as Splinter arrived at the head of the table, next to Don. Despite Leo immediately appearing to serve his Master's breakfast, the rat didn't take his seat. Tausha kept her head bowed as he shared his morning greetings with his sons, feeling all the while like he had one eye on her. Leo left the kitchen for his final run to take his own seat at the opposite end from Splinter.

Almost as if that were his cue, Splinter moved around the table to stand next to the girl.   
"And how is our guest this morning?" he asked kindly. Tausha turned on her seat to face him as best she could.   
"Much better, thankyou." She ducked her head in an uncertain bow, keeping her eyes averted for the most part as he gave her a critical look over.   
"Hmm, yes. You do seem to be healing well. May I…?" he moved his paw towards her face, waiting until she nodded to actually touch her. She winced a little as he deftly ran his fingers over the damage, gasping as he manipulated the bridge of her nose for a moment. The pain making her eyes tear.   
"Forgive me. I do not intend to hurt you un-necessarily. I don't think your nose is broken, though it will obviously still be tender for a few more days." She tried to give him a brave smile past her hands as she gingerly patted her face, surreptitiously trying to wipe the wetness from her eyes.

"…are the Winx. We are…" Tic.   
"…ood Morning, New York. In breaking news…" Tack.   
"…and we'll even include the steak knives, absolutely fre…" TACK! Rolling his eyes Mike heaved himself up from the table, taking an extra slice of toast to sustain him once he finished the one still half hanging from his mouth. Deftly he rescued the remote, earning an evil snarl from his brother, and flicked it back to the first channel.   
"I'm not watchin' this fairy crud." Raph's voice carried a definite threat.   
"Transformers are on after this, bro." Mike explained over his shoulder, taking the remote with him.   
"Better friggin' be…" Raph muttered under his breath as he stalked into the kitchen without as much as a glance toward the table.

"So Master, I was thinkin'" Mike started as he resumed his seat "one of us should sacrifice our training today to make sure our guest is well supervised and…, stuff. Wouldn't wanna be rude and let her get bored or anything! And since I've proven my martial prowess I'd be willing to take the first shift…" Splinter's level gaze, and the dirty looks from his brothers, made it clear Mike plan wasn't gonna fly.   
"Your training has suffered enough the past couple of days. I am sure Tausha is capable of entertaining her self for a few hours." Splinter stated.   
"Is there something you'd like to do while we train? You can watch TV, or we have a few books…" Don queried.   
"Well, is there any chance I could move the tiles out of the shower upstairs?"

Mike jerked his head up with a look of horror.   
"No. You can use the bathroom down here." Leo asserted much to Mikes' relief, as he pointed to the door he hadn't explained earlier. Tausha couldn't help feeling a little disappointed, though she realised she should have known better. It was fairly obvious that no room she wasn't restricted from entering would contain anything hugely exciting.   
"Um, actually it might be better if she uses ours Leo. I've managed to rig up the shower down here for Master Splinter to use, but I'm still waiting on that adjustable head Casey promised us after he broke the old one." Oblivious to Leo's dark look Don continued, addressing Tausha instead.   
"You might find it a bit low to use comfortably. Our bathroom is just at the end of that first hallway up there."   
"Oh, is that OK?" Leo found himself at the point of his brothers' curious looks along with Taushas' query. Even Splinters' eyebrow twitched slightly. Raph placing his plate laden with pop tarts and mug of black coffee on the table did little to distract from the silent interrogation; especially since he sat sideways, his shell to most of the table, intent on watching TV. Though Leo noticed Tausha did look slightly crestfallen, despite not obviously glancing towards his ill-mannered brother.

"I suppose it is the best solution, but you are not to enter our rooms under any circumstances." Leo sternly instructed. Tausha gave him a relieved smile.   
"Of course not, thank you." she said quietly, Mike quickly talking over the top of her.   
"What d'ya mean 'under any circumstances'?" he demanded "What if I invite her to my room, huh?"   
"No." Leo answered calmly.   
"No? It's my damn room Leo!" exclaimed Mike.   
"No." Leo was implacable. Mike was speechless for all of a second before turning to the other end of the table, Don following suit.   
"Master?" Mike pleaded with his best puppy dog look.

Splinter carefully balanced his chopsticks on his bowl before he answered.   
"Michelangelo is correct in this Leonardo. You do not have the right to dictate who may, or may not enter your brothers' rooms, only your own." Leo bowed his head in acceptance, and to hide his gritted teeth.   
"Booyah!" Mikey did a quick victory shuffle in his chair, arms in the air. Then he leant his elbow on the table, finger pointed as if giving a stern lecture, though his grin ruined the act.   
"You know your problem Leo? I reckon you're jealous!" Raph's head perked up slightly at that, though he didn't turn from the TV. On a roll, Mikey didn't pause.   
"Considering the company she's been stuck with till now, Tau's obviously the kinda gal that goes for tough kinda guys. So you aint got a chance in heck! We all know I'm the toughest of the lot of us. I am the Battle Nexus Champion after all!" This last declaration addressed to Tausha with a huge grin and a wink.

Don groaned. Splinter closed his eyes, praying for patience.   
"Mikey." Leo warned in a dangerously low tone before all three levelled their gazes at the girl, awaiting her response. Raph didn't move, his mug still held half-way in its journey to his mouth. Tausha fidgeted nervously for a moment under the scrutiny. Taking a deep breath she looked Mike straight in the eye.   
"I'm sure I'd be suitably impressed…, _if_ I had any idea what the heck that means!" her voice heavy with sarcasm. She could almost feel the tension drain from the table as Mikes' jaw almost hit it.

"You don't know?" Mike almost whispered in disbelief. Tausha shook her head with a look that loudly spoke 'obviously'.   
"You never told her about the Battle Nexus?" Mike accused his brothers' shell. Raph slowly finished his drink.   
"Nup. We only talked about important stuff…" he murmured, still seemingly engrossed in the cartoon.   
"Important stuff! Like, what's more important than having a brother that's the 'Champion of the Universe', huh?" Mike demanded, almost in hysterics. Raph chortled quietly to himself, both Leo and Mike taken down a couple of pegs in as many minutes? Maybe having Tau hang around for a few days to stir things up wasn't gonna be as unbearable as he'd feared. Didn't mean she was forgiven though. With that sobering thought he bit resolutely into his last tart, hunching his shoulders defensively.

"Enough!" Splinters' quiet command immediately gained everyone's attention.   
"Michelangelo, no one ever choked swallowing their pride. And your insolence was uncalled for. I suggest you contemplate that as you undertake twenty flips." With a moan Mike neatly stacked his empty dishes together, making a show of dumping them heavily in front of Raph before he meandered over to the dojo.

Raph groaned resignedly himself as he started collecting as many dishes off his end of the table as he could carry. Don and Leo gathered the rest to help cart them through to the kitchen. The two quickly reappeared to head down to the mats, preparing for their training session.

Quiet descended on the table, Tausha starting to feel uneasy under Splinters' inscrutable gaze. There was no malice in his look, but whilst she had no idea of his thoughts, she had the disconcerting notion he could read hers like a book.   
"I'm sorry. I just seem to keep causing trouble. I don't mean to…" she murmured to the tabletop. The Master smiled reassuringly.   
"The more things change, the more they stay the same. Rest assured that for the most part you are but a catalyst, not the cause, of my sons' discord. I apologise if they have caused you any offence."   
"No." Tausha shook her head with an uncertain smile. Splinter stood before he continued in a kind but firm tone.   
"I suggest you spend some time today considering your options for the future. I would like to openly discuss your plans at dinner. My sons' contributions can be quite helpful at times and an appropriate escape strategy may take some preparation."   
"OK." she agreed with a nod as she stood to share a bow with him before he made his way to the dojo.

She traced the back of her chair with her fingers for a moment, thinking the best course of action would be to head straight upstairs. Her curiosity over what Raph was up to in the kitchen won out, however. Warily she peered around the doorway. She'd always considered him to be a bit wild, so seeing him immersed in suds up to his elbows in an incongruous picture of domestication coaxed a small half-smile onto her face. It evaporated pretty darn swiftly though as he spotted her, pausing in what he was doing to glare maliciously. He didn't say a word; he didn't need to as she felt the colour drain from her face under that look. Hesitantly she followed his silent order, ducking her head back through the door to head off towards the stairs.

Chink.   
Raph roughly plonked the dish he'd been washing on the rack. What the hell right did that bitch think she have to laugh at him doin' the dishes?   
Chunk.   
Alright, maybe she wasn't laughin' exactly… and at least she'd looked pretty contrite when he'd caught her at it. More than just contrite actually, she'd seemed sad…, and hurt? Damn it! He wasn't gonna fall for a ruse like that. He had every right to be pissed off, and that was how he was gonna stay.   
Crunk!   
He'd been forced to listen to Casey bitchin' about how chicks excelled at makin' ya feel bad over nothin' way too many times to be caught out by anything that stupid. No matter how sorry Tausha looked there was just no way in hell he was ever gonna feel…   
Crack!   
"Aww, damn it!" Guilty of breakin' another cup.


	17. Chapter 17

A/N: Many thanks to **Canadian Pirate Queen** and **The REAL Cheese Monkey** (I'd be lost if I didn't hear from you! And I'm still waiting on a 'Once Human' update…) for reviewing the last chapter. **artykidd**, hope you're still along for the ride. Guess you're just too busy writing up the next chapter of 'M'. Cool, don't let me distract you, get back to it! All of ya!

Disclaimer: I don't own the TMNT, or any related characters (much to their relief, I'm sure!) If there is anything else in this story you recognise from somewhere else, then I don't own that either.

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Tausha's first glance in the mirror was horrifying! She'd always been a bit of a tomboy, more comfortable in jeans and muck than skirts and make-up. But, with her face half a mask of blotchy purple, a nose that seemed a size too big and hair a Muppet would have been proud of she looked like some kind of crazed yobbo! They may not be high, but even she had her standards and was no where near meeting 'em at the moment. At least it was a relief when she decided Mike must have just been joking with his come on at breakfast.

Next, she had proceeded to make a complete fool of herself turning the bathroom upside down. Going through the cupboards she'd muttered to herself,   
"What kind of idiot hides the damn shampoo?" Realization dawning she'd stopped to softly head butt the open door she was crouched next too.   
"Augh, dipstick!" At least she'd managed to find some clean towels, although the prospect of just heading back to bed for a while to start the day afresh was certainly starting to appeal.

This was definitely a boys' bathroom. It almost felt like she'd stumbled into the blokes' locker room at the footy. Down the left hand side ran a long cabinet with two mismatched sinks, both liberally coated in dried toothpaste. The mirror on the wall above it was missing a ragged strip of its silver backing along the top, the edges of the glass badly chipped and cracked. The cabinet terminated in a large, metal laundry trough, a thick line of corrosion marched from the base of the tap to the drain. The other side of the room was dominated by a series of 'pre-fabed' cubicles. The first two stalls contained toilets, the next two showers.

There was a solitary, frayed towel hung neatly over a railing on the end wall. The floor, bench top, and the top of the cubicle walls all sported impressive collections of crumpled material. There were even a few shirts and a long coat tossed in for good measure. Mildew was making a determined attempt to seize control of the ceiling above the showers, and somewhere indeterminable there was a slow but steady echoing drip. All that was missing was the obligatory 'Macca woz 'ere!' etched into the melamine of the cubicle doors.

Armed with her clean, if somewhat threadbare towels, and the freshest looking bar of soap she could find, Tausha chose the shower stall that still had an in tact catch. The other had a ragged chunk missing from the door where its lock had once been. She managed to clear most of the snarls out of her hair using the soap and a small comb she had, thankfully, found in her bag. She gave it a rest once her fingers started to ache, deciding she'd wasted enough water anyway. At least it hadn't gone cold, and the strong pressure had been lovely.

Feeling almost normal again once she slipped into the jeans and grey T-shirt she'd grabbed before braving the bathroom, she headed back to her room to finish the tedious task of brushing out her hair. Not for the first time she wondered why she didn't just lop the damn stuff off.

Not quite ready to head back downstairs she decided to up-end her bag onto the bed to do a stock-take of what she'd packed. The past couple of days were a bit of a blur in her mind, all she could remember of leaving the apartment was shoving what she could from her room into the bag and bolting before her father came back. But, what exactly had she grabbed? Not a lot really.

A few changes of clothes, two pairs of shoes (why the heck had she taken her only pair of heels?), a photo album, her small utilitarian handbag, a collection of hair bands, and the ornate jewellery case her father had given her. The glass in the tiny doors had been smashed, most of the shards held in place by the elaborate flowers worked in filigree sprawling across the surface. With an indifferent shrug she tossed the box in the bag, along with most of the hair ties, using one to capture her hair, and dumped it back on the floor at the end of the bed.

Sorting through her clothes she folded and stacked them neatly under the edge of the bed, along with the shoes. The handbag and album got tucked under the bedside table. Lastly, she straightened out the blankets and stood back, hands on hips to appraise her handiwork, such as it was. Darn it, now she had to think of something else to kill some time with…

Finally curiosity, and a growing dread she'd be caught out hiding in her room twiddling her thumbs, drove Tausha back downstairs. She was a little surprised to find the training session still in progress. Only Mike paused to acknowledge her with a quick smile before ducking Leo's kick. A glance at the VCR informed her it was well past 11am. The session had started around six, how long did they train for each day? Raph had mentioned it was a pretty big part of their routine, but they did stop for lunch… didn't they?

She took up residence in the armchair, sitting a little skewed so she could covertly observe the action over the top of the TV guide. For her, watching people spar was just as much fun as joining in, a secret gamble with herself on wether she would be able to read their next move. Usually however, she had the security of being part of a crowd, her stare going un-noticed. She also figured these guys didn't regularly have spectators and didn't want to distract them. Limiting the opportunities for more dirty looks definitely seemed like a plan.

Her ploy was wrecked by a white and orange paw swatting the paperback into her lap, its owner immediately taking control of the captured territory, atop the book. Noticing the sparring was coming to an end, degenerating into katas and stretches, Tausha gave the cat the attention he demanded; rewarded with an appreciative purr and a trickle of drool soaking her shoulder.

"Whoa! Keep that up an' ya gonna spoil 'im!" Tausha managed to hide her start well, wondering how on earth Mike had managed to sneak up beside her, in an open chamber, where she'd been trying to keep an eye on 'em anyway! She gave him a huge cheeky grin, building on the smile she'd already had plastered on her face.   
"Heh! Ya can't spoil cats, they're born brats anyway!" Mike giggled as he joined in to scratch the animal on the back of the neck, Tausha concentrating behind his ears.   
"Hey, ya wanna help me make lunch?" Mike invited.   
"Sure." Tausha accepted, with a shrug. Helping to liberate her from her feline captor Mike grabbed the cat by the scruff,   
"C'mon Klunk, let the poor girl go will ya!"

Lunch was a pretty simple affair, tuna and pasta salad. Mikes' easy banter quickly relieved Taushas' fears he would be annoyed with her after what happened at breakfast. She found herself bugging him with all sorts of questions.   
"Do you guys train this long everyday?"   
"Normally, yeah." a dramatic roll of his eyes "If not longer! Leo an' Raph usually keep goin' with katas an' weights an' stuff. They _need_ to find a hobby, or… somethin'! Plus we head topside for a run at night, whenever we can."   
"I knew you guys were good, but gees!"   
"Heh! Good? We are the best babe!"   
"Yeah, right!" she gently teased; stirring the pot as Mike chopped a heap of veges.   
"You better believe it!" he beamed back, launching into an animated account of his feats at the Battle Nexus.

"How did the other guys go, then?"   
"Nyeh, all right. It is an honour just gettin' there! And Leo did get poisoned part way through, so I guess that dinted his chances a bit. But that just goes to show how fierce the competition is! And after all, only the winner gets to bring home the trophy!" Mike trailed over his shoulder as he carried the first two plates out of the kitchen, leaving Tausha to finish serving up.

"So how the heck did you end up with all this cool gear?" she asked as he returned.   
"Like what?"   
"Like, the pile of TV's out there, trucks and bikes and goodness knows what else?"   
"Well, that's a little complicated. It's about 30 percent luck, 50 percent Donnie and 60 percent elbow grease!" Tausha couldn't help laughing at that.   
"What?" Mike asked in seemingly genuine confusion.   
"Oh. It's just that… never mind." Shaking her head she picked up the last couple of plates to follow him out.

"Not during lunch." Splinter gently reprimanded as he turned off the TV set Raph had just turned on.   
"Wha…? But… grrr!" Raph threw himself down in his chair, fist to his temple to block his view of the rest of the table as he stabbed a chunk of pasta with his fork, the 'chink' as it hit the plate clearly audible.

Leo suspiciously eyed the plate Mike placed before him as Tausha served Don, to his shy "Thanks.", and herself.   
"Did Tausha help you cook this?" Leo asked.   
"Yeah. Hey, she even added this little packet of 'special spice' she brought along, so it should taste _really_ interesting bro!" Mike confirmed sarcastically. Despite realizing his brother wasn't serious Leo couldn't help giving him a disbelieving stare, annoyed he would joke about this. With a small huff Tausha grabbed Leos' plate, swapping it with her own before she made a dramatic show of munching on a large fork-full of the meal. She graced Leo with a brief, sardonic 'happy now?' look before returning her attention to her plate, her lips set in a grim line.

They ate in quiet for a minute, hoping to win the smile back on his new friends' face Mikey broke the silence.   
"You know, funnily enough most of us don't really know squat about ya…" Tausha gave him a blank look.   
"Well, um, what d'ya wanna know?" she asked a little uncertainly.   
"Oh, I dunno. What's your favourite colour?" Mike asked with a grin.   
"Um, blue, I suppose." Mikes' face fell slightly.   
"Why doesn't anyone ever say orange, huh?" His grin quickly returned, trying to coax her apologetic smile into something more.   
"OK. So… what kinda bands d'ya like?" Despite quirking an eyebrow at his line of questioning, her bemused smile remained.   
"If I had to pick a favourite I'd probably say 'Hunters and Collectors', just 'cos I had the biggest crush on Mark Seymour last year. But I'll happily listen to just about anything really." she admitted with a shrug.

It was Mikes' turn for the blank look.   
"Who…?"   
"Oh sorry, guess you probably haven't heard of those guys, huh?"   
"Nah…, so this 'Mark' dude's some kinda young pretty boy?" Tausha gave a little chuckle.   
"Not really, he's definitely not what you'd call 'classically handsome', he's just got an awesome voice… and when your Mum's suffering the same crush, and she points out that she's got the better chance since he's pretty much her age, it kinda ruins the whole buzz anyway." Mike joined in her cheeky grin, though he noticed a definite sadness in her eyes. Curious, he tried to guess the cause with a query he'd been wanting the answer to anyway.   
"Sooo, have ya got a boyfriend, then?" his roguish expression immediately wilted under the four intense gazes directed at him. He shuffled slightly to the right to evade the clearest threat of physical harm apparent in the look from his red clad brother.

Tausha busied herself with a thorough study of the remnants on her plate, her cheeks taking on a slight rosy hue.   
"No."   
"No?" Raph questioned derisively. Despite trying to keep her out of his mind as much as possible he'd still spent a good portion of time since her arrival here mulling over just what else she may not have told him the whole truth about. One possibility he'd thought of was;   
"What about Dragon-face, huh? You seemed damn chummy with him at times." Tausha closed her eyes, giving her head a quick shake before she returned Raphs' glower.   
"You have got to be kidding me. There's no way I'd ever touch that sycophantic little snot with a ten foot pole!" Neither wanting to bow to the unspoken challenge, they locked in a fierce stare, oblivious to the others.

"Sicko-what?" Mike asked in a whisper.   
"It means 'suck up'." murmured Don, cringing as low in his chair as he could to escape the palpable tension building across the table.   
"Oh…" Mike followed his smart brothers' example, noticing Raph's fork bending slightly in his hand.

Starting to feel a little self-conscious, and strangely nervous, Raph decided to end the impasse on his own terms.   
"Yeah, right." he sneered in obvious disbelief, dismissing her with a curt flick of his hand to return his attention to finishing his meal. Tausha took a moment to gather her jaw back under control before thumping her fist lightly on the table in frustration.   
"Why the friggin' hell did you ask if you're not gonna believe me anyway!" she demanded, exasperated. Raph slammed his fist hard enough to rattle the dishes, his snarled response cut short by Splinters' paw firmly gripping his arm.   
"This is not the time, nor the place, my son." Though his voice was calm, the warning in his fathers' eyes was enough to give Raph pause. With a loud growl, and a filthy look for the girl, Raph hastily grabbed his plate and cutlery, shoving back with enough force to almost topple his chair as he stood and swiftly stalked into the kitchen. The 'thunk' as he slammed his plate on the counter causing most at the table to flinch.

Mike couldn't help feeling just a little responsible as he watched Tausha dejectedly push a lone piece of pasta back and forwards in the silence that followed. As much as she was obviously trying to hide it she couldn't quite suppress the quiver in her shoulders.   
"I…, I'm sorry babe. I didn't think…"   
"Didn't think? Mike, you don't have any right to ask something like that anyway. It's not our business." Leo scolded.   
"Yes it is!" defended Mike.   
"How?"   
"Well, um…, well…, we need to know 'cos…, 'cos if there are other people out there that can help Tau out we need to know! Right?" he desperately begged for support from Don and Splinter.   
"I suppose that is a valid point, sort of…" mumbled Don.   
"Yes," Splinter added resignedly "although reason would suggest that if there were other people Tausha could turn to for support, she would have done so already."   
"Is there anyone else you can turn to? Family or friends?" Don queried gently, leaning forward to try to see her face since she hadn't responded to them at all.

Before she looked up Tausha took a deep breath and set her face in a stoic mask. "No. I got sent to live with my Dad 'cos he's the only real family I have left. He made sure I didn't make too many friends besides his 'business associates', and I wouldn't trust any of them as far as I could throw 'em. Everyone else I know, or can rely on are at home. So I'm afraid they aren't gonna be much help here." She ducked her head again, biting down on the slight crack in her voice.   
"Where is home?" enquired Splinter empathetically.   
"Melbourne." she stated simply, to her lunch.   
"As in Australia?" Don asked in astonishment "I was wondering what your accent was, but I never would have guessed Australian. English maybe, or... " he petered out, realizing he was thinking out loud.   
"That is kinda cool! So d'ya know how to surf?" Mikes' grin faltered under Leos' stern look, Tausha shaking her head.

"How does Hun end up with a daughter from half-way round the world?" Tausha gave a small shrug before meeting Leos' eyes, her mask firmly back in place.   
"I was born here. My parents divorced when I was four, I think. Mum got custody, and we moved back to live with my grandad, her dad. She lived there originally; she met my father when she came over to go back-packing round the states before doing uni. I… wasn't exactly planned…"   
"What happened to your mother and grandfather?" Leo probed again.   
"They… died, in a car crash last January."   
"I'm sorry…" Leo apologised.   
"It's OK. It wasn't your fault." she tried a brave smile.   
"And you have no other family?" Splinter queried.   
"I think I have a… great uncle or something in Jersey. I'm not even sure of his name, and he's on Dads' side of the family anyway. Other than that, I have a few distant rellies in England. Only really know them from Christmas cards and stories though. Like you said; if I had anyone I could've turned to, I would have. I didn't plan on ending up here."

Leo quickly wiped his face clear of the sheepish look that had crept there before he asked,   
"Where did you plan on ending up?" Tausha shrugged.   
"Anywhere away from my Dad. Guess I hadn't really thought out the details too much, just figured if I could get out of the city it would be harder for him to track me down. Give me a chance to get my head together then."   
"What would have happened to you, if you hadn't left?" Don asked, almost as if he didn't really want to know the answer. She gave a humourless laugh.   
"You're probably gonna think I'm stupid, 'cos it's not like he'd beat me senseless everyday or anything. He only hits me when he's angry with me, and he usually apologises once he's cooled down. Goes and buys me a dress or something pointless. And he hasn't always been this bad. He never hit me when I was a kid, and when I first came over he was actually really nice, seemed to want to make an effort at being a family. But then something happened, well a few things actually. But the main thing seemed to be this party he went to that got trashed. I had no real idea what had happened, 'till Raph filled me in on some of it. All I was told was that Oroku Saki had been put away. Dad just kinda went to pieces after that." She gave another small sardonic laugh.

"Gees you'd think that in my Dad's line of work losing the odd 'business partner' here and there would be a given, huh? But it was like he'd just lost control or something, and he tried to get it back with me. He yanked me out of school to do home tutoring instead, gave Dragon-face the job of watching over me 24/7. I wasn't meant to go anywhere without Dad's permission, had to wear what he told me and everything. That was when he made me get this." She gripped her shoulder, the tattoo hidden under the fabric of her shirt.

"I should be thankful really; Dragon-face wasn't much of a baby-sitter. Once Dad had finished with me he went off to find him, and that gave me the chance to get out of there. Suppose I should feel sorry for the guy, he's probably in a lot worse state than me. But the last thing Dad said to me before he left was that I wasn't ever gonna leave that apartment again, not without him anyway." she swallowed thickly, fighting to keep her control.

"I couldn't do that. All I could see out the windows of that place was concrete and glass. Nothing natural, nothing green, everything straight and sharp. I've been spoilt I guess, too used to just being able to ride through the bush whenever I wanted. Here all the grass and trees seem to have been put in their place, nothing's just growing wild and the streets are just… bare. I felt I was trapped in a steel box, and the walls just kept getting closer. I just couldn't stand it anymore…" She hid her face in her hands, drawing a shuddering breath. Don laid a reassuring hand on her shoulder. In response she roughly knuckled her eyes, wincing as her bruises protested the treatment.

"Sorry. Think I've cried more the past week than I have in the past year! I'm not usually this soppy, honest. It's just that sometimes I feel so…" Don squeezed her shoulder gently, guessing what the rest of her sentence was.   
"You're not alone." he told her earnestly. She looked at him in mock-horror for a moment before knuckling her eyes again.   
"Oh, damn it!" sniff "Don't say that," sniff "now you've really set me off." She reached a hand over her shoulder to grip his briefly, giving him as brave a smile as she could.   
"Thank you." Don left his hand where it was as she buried her face again.

Leo glanced up from the girl to notice Raph stood in the kitchen doorway, watching her. Despite the grimace on his face, he seemed pale, the anger Leo expected to see in his eyes was mingled with, something else. Leo's heart sunk. He'd never seen that emotion on his brothers' face before, but was afraid he recognised it all too well. Becoming aware of Leos' concerned look Raph shot him an evil glare before retreating out of sight.

With a last sniffle Tausha managed to raise her head again.   
"You gonna be alright?" Don asked, dropping his hand.   
"Yep!" she nodded vigorously, plastering a smile on her face that didn't quite want to be there.   
"I think it wise to allow Tausha a little time to recuperate." Splinter suggested and then addressed the girl.   
"Are you still amenable to discussing your plans further at dinner?"   
"Yes."   
"Good."

At that Leo and Don gathered the dishes, Don giving Tausha a reassuring smile as they left for the kitchen. Splinter gave her a smile of his own before he made his way over to the couch, turning on the TVs to the beginning of 'Days of our Lives'. Mike stood to meet her, hands tucked behind his back with a puppy-dog look, as she rounded the end of the table.   
"Um, I really am sorry… I didn't mean to make you cry or nothin'." Tausha gripped the top of his arm for a moment.   
"Don't sweat it. I'm just being a wuss, that's all." she smiled.   
"Heh!" Mike grinned "So what d'ya wanna do now?"   
"I dunno."   
"You wanna come up to my room?" Tausha gave him a critical look.   
"Why?"   
"Well, it would annoy Leo. Plus, I have the best comic collection in the world, and Raph's gonna be cleanin' up the main room today. When he's in a mood like this there's only two ways of dealin' with it. First, and my personal favourite, is to keep pokin' him to see just how many different colours he'll go before he explodes. Though I only recommend that if ya can run really fast!"   
"Pass. What's the other option?"   
"Hide."

Tausha rubbed her cheek in consideration for a moment.   
"Well annoying Leo probably isn't the smartest thing to do …, but I can't really argue with two to one stats!" Beaming Mike lightly wrapped an arm round her shoulders to usher the way.   
"So, you like comics huh?"   
"Sure."

In silence Don and Leo helped Raph with cleaning the dishes. Three's a crowd and in a soundless exchange Leo dismissed Don, allowing his brother to escape to the sanctuary of his lab for the afternoon. As they placed the last of the dishes away Leo broke the uneasy quiet.   
"I tried to stop this. I could see you were gonna get hurt, one way or another. If you hadn't pushed it, and just dropped it before it all came undone, at least you would have been able to keep a few good memories. Instead of letting them get tainted by…"   
"Leo?" Raph braced his arms against the bench top, hanging his head a little. Leo put down the cutlery he held to give his brother his full attention. His tone hadn't been angry, so maybe he actually wanted to talk, for once. Turning his head to look Leo in the eye Raph ordered in a calm, firm tone "Fuck off." With a brisk nod Leo left.

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A/N2: Sorry for the 'dejavu', kinda similar ending to the last chapter, huh? Just couldn't think of another way to end it, without making this chapter even longer! Anyway, not too much more of this boring dialogue stuff to come… well, maybe a little more. Be sure to flash me a red light if it's getting too tedious!


	18. Chapter 18

A/N: Sorry for the late update, but I have a great excuse! Scared by the ominous sounds off pitchforks being sharpened I've shunned family and friends to get the next two chapters done. Just a reminder that I have put the brakes on this story a little and Chapters 16, 17 and 18 all occur on the same day. The first day Raph has to deal with Tau after her little revelation. I don't think Raph's the kinda guy to forgive and forget too easily so sorry if he's seemed like too much of a jerk in these, but that is kinda the point, lol! Also trying to get Tau's story out in bits 'n' pieces as opposed to one long monologue. Apologise too if each of these chappies seems a bit samey, but to me meal times are family chat times, so it seemed natural these conversations would revolve around the dinner table. Rest assured I won't be going into this much detail for each day she's there (I'm not _that_ nuts), and Chapter 19 starts to pick up the pace again. I'm also trying to tie the other guys in a little more now I have the chance. (They're stood behind me with much scarier stuff than pitchforks. Mikes demanding at least one mention per paragraph and a pizza per chapter. But don't worry their union's not that good!)

A/N2: Have a bucket load of people to thank this time; **The REAL Cheese Monkey**, **artykidd**, **Canadian Pirate Queen** and **Dragonfly Rider**. Ta very muchly to all for the reviews; does wonders for the motivation! Hope you all enjoy these next two instalments. Also want to thank everyone who has put me on their alert and favs listings. That's a really great honour and it is appreciated. Lastly; my long suffering hubbie. Suppose I better go check he remembers what I look like…

Disclaimer: I don't own the TMNT, or any related characters (much to their relief, I'm sure!) If there is anything else in this story you recognise from somewhere else, then I don't own that either.

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Reaching his room Mike swung open the door and waved Tausha through with a dramatic bow and flourish of his arm.   
"Entrevue, mon amie!" Tausha stepped hesitantly over the threshold; pausing at the edge of the small area the door swept clear. Most of the floor was visible, but the piles of detritus on the far side of the desk, in the corner behind the door and lurking under the bed were starting to make a bid to reclaim what had obviously been their rightful place in the past. However, what really caught her attention were the walls. Almost every spare inch was covered in what she had first thought were posters. On second glance though she realized the vast majority were hand drawn. Characters and scenes from just about every comic, anime and Disney movie she'd seen, and quite a few she hadn't.

Wandering over to the large desk placed in the centre of the right wall she gave a reverent "Ooh" for the image that seemed to be leaping off the page, only caught by the final corner of trace-lines that had yet to coloured. The picture detailed a short-haired, Japanese woman in a revealing bodysuit, revolver in hand, stood in front of a small blue tank sporting four stubby legs instead of tracks. The city skyline in the background merged into a circuit board in place of a night sky.   
"You draw these?" she asked in quiet awe. Mike rubbed the back of his head, colouring a little in embarrassment.   
"Yeah, I doodle a bit every now an' then. That one's for Don. Heh! Think he has a bit of a 'thing' for the Major." Tausha's exaggerated sigh was offset with a knowing grin.   
"Doesn't every guy?"   
"Well she is kinda cute, but I find robots an' stuff a bit too creepy. Prefer a flesh and blood woman myself!"

With that he threw himself down on the double bed that formed the lower level of his bunks. Just how he managed that without crushing any of the comics and mags strewn over the mattress was beyond Tausha. She guessed he usually slept in the single top bunk; at least that had rumpled blankets on it. With a beguiling smile he patted a clear patch at the edge of the bed, inviting her to sit. Feeling a little nervous Tausha declined with a stern look.   
"I am grateful to you guys, and I need all the friends I can get. But I want to make one thing clear; if you're hoping for anything more than conversation you can forget it, OK?" Mike's stunned silence made her face colour brilliantly. Shamefaced, she inspected the patch of carpet at her feet as she apologised.   
"I'm sorry. I don't mean to insult you. If I thought you'd try to hurt me or anything I wouldn't have come up here. It's just I really don't need any more complications right now."

Her head shot up at Mike's laughter.   
"Oh girl! Ya know my bros' have been tellin' me for years that my mouth'd get me into trouble. But you're the first chick to take me seriously enough to tell me to back off!" he sat up, wiping his eyes "It's kinda cool actually!"   
"It is?" Tausha asked uncertainly, concerned she was being made the butt of a joke somehow.   
"Yeah." grinned Mike, scooting forward to sit on the edge of the mattress before giving a shrug.   
"No matter what I say, girls always seem ta see me as some ugly, weird little green guy, only really good for a laugh."   
"I suppose I have had a bit of time to get used to what you guys look like already." She offered tentatively, looking at him askance.   
"Heh! Well, I guess since you've been 'gettin' used' to the weirdest one of us I'm pretty tame, huh?"

Mike grinned even wider at the brief scowl Tausha shot him, speaking again before she had a chance to.   
"Look. If you promise not to take everything so seriously, I swear on my honour I won't touch ya. Deal?" he proffered, along with his hand. Tausha considered for a moment.   
"Deal. Though we can't shake on it if ya gonna keep that promise." a small cheeky smile tugged on her lips. Mike chuckled,   
"Well, I wont touch ya, any more than ya want me to!" he amended with a roguish wink. With a roll of her eyes Tausha plonked down to sit next to him.   
"You know, when Raph first started telling me about you guys there were times when I thought for sure he must be exaggerating. Now, I don't think anything he could've said would've given me a real idea what I'd be in for coming here!"

Mike snickered briefly.   
"So, what did he tell ya about me?"   
"I probably shouldn't say…"   
"Aww, please?" he begged with massive 'anime eyes'. Tausha couldn't resist.   
"He said you could be the most annoying, childish, bothersome, irresponsible," Mikes' eyes managed to open even wider as his face fell further with each word "infuriating, optimistic, loyal, funny, caring, cheerful brother he could hope for, or stand." She tried to suppress the smile as she watched the play of emotions on his face. Mike finally settled for small grin.

"So, what else did he tell ya about?"   
"Uh, uh. No way. Ask him if ya want, but I'm not about to risk him getting even angrier with me." She gave a small sigh.   
"I think I did hang around a little too long when I was trying to leave, hoping he'd show up. Part of me just wanted a chance to say a proper 'goodbye'. Now I'm just hoping it'll be a civil one. I do miss talking with him." Mike gave her an incredulous look.   
"You _miss_ talking _with_ him? Hang on, we are discussing Raph here aren't we? Though I guess you were doing most of the chatting, huh?" Tausha shrugged.   
"Sometimes, he is a pretty good listener." Mike took a moment to recover his jaw from where it had fallen. Holding up a finger he queried,   
"Is the guy you're talking about around my height, green, wears a red bandana instead of stylish orange and looks like this a lot?" Tausha laughed at the exaggerated grimace Mike pulled, hands up as if he were about to throttle someone, complete with comic growl.

"Yeah! That's him!" She sobered quickly, however, as Mike finished his performance.   
"I didn't want to let him know about my Dad, I was afraid he'd get pissed off about it. Gees, I shoulda known better and made up something the other night, would've made life a hell of a lot easier." she mumbled to her hands in her lap.   
"I don't know about that, babe. Ya know Master Splinter has a saying…, er, how'd it go again?" he scratched his head for a moment "Um…, oh yeah! 'The truth may hurt, but it never does as much harm as a lie.'" Tausha waited a moment for the 'grasshopper' to complete his imitation of an ancient master.   
"Hmpf, maybe. But I can't really see how it would've made matters worse."   
"Well, I can tell ya one thing. If I found out you'd actually lied to my bro, I wouldn't be talkin' to you at all. Then you'd be really devastated!"   
"You're probably right." she agreed with a grateful smile.

They passed a comfortable minute in silence before Mike bounced slightly where he sat.   
"So, what comics d'ya like? I've got Marvel, DC, Mirage, Dark Horse, Image…" he pointed vaguely towards sections of the mismatched bookshelves that ran from the side of the bunks around the corner to end near the desk at each name. Tausha figured it was just an approximation of where the majority of issues were located since the comics were all stacked haphazardly, competing for space with various toys and junk. Quickly she wandered over to the section near the desk, not wanting to draw attention to the large trophy sitting pride-of-place on top of the shelves next to the bunks. Mike gave a quick laugh as she returned to her spot.   
"What?"   
"You like Batman?"   
"Yeah, he's alright. Why?"   
"Heh! Oh, it's… nothing."

---------- ----------

Leo wandered out of the bathroom, towel still slung about his neck. The hot shower had been welcome after his afternoon of strenuous katas. At least Raph had seemed intent on ignoring him, concentrating on completing his chores on the half of the dojo Leo hadn't been using at the time instead of his usual antics of needing to clean the exact spot Leo was currently training on.

The sound coming from Mike's open door gave him pause. There was none. The light was still on, and on his way past before Leo had listened briefly to Mike and Tausha giggling over some movie they both liked. A range of scenarios flashed through Leos' mind. Hopefully they had gone downstairs and forgotten to turn off the light? Just in case he poked his head in the doorway. Mike was propped on his elbows on his bed, Tausha leaning casually with her back against his carapace, both with comics in hand. A small sigh of relief escaped Leo.   
"Hey Mikey, isn't it getting close to dinner?" Leo disturbed them, Tausha immediately looking uncomfortable at the intrusion.   
"Is it? Well, better get started then!" Mike leapt of the bed, slowing as he neared the door to sniff the air.   
"Can you smell burning bro?" Leo took a deep breath through his nose.   
"Yeah." he confirmed dejectedly. Horrified, Mikey fled yelling "Nooo!" Leo, shaking his head in resignation, turned to the girl left standing in confusion.

"Can we talk?" Leo asked, stepping into the room. Looking like a kid caught raiding the cookie jar Tausha nodded slowly.   
"Don't worry, you're not in trouble. I figured Mike would get you up here as soon as he could, just to annoy me. I'd actually like to apologise. I admit I don't trust you, and if you ever purposefully do anything to hurt any of my family…" Leo stopped, sounding menacing even to himself, though Tausha didn't flinch at the unspoken threat.   
"But I realise that smoke and mirrors aren't Hun's style. So I am sorry if I've treated you harshly." Tausha shrugged slightly with a wary smile.   
"It's OK. You're just being protective, well maybe a little over-protective. But I can respect th.." A shrill scream echoed from downstairs.   
"What the…?" Tausha would have run out of the room in concern if Leo wasn't blocking the entrance, rolling his eyes with a hand up to stop her.   
"I doubt it's as bad as you think. No-one can over-react like Mikey. Come on; let's see just how big a disaster dinner really is."

"And how long did ya cook these for, it's practically mush!"   
"Cooked is cooked."   
"No it's not! Ya know all those little lines next to the knobs on the stove are there for a reason Raph. There's more options than just full on or off."   
"Well maybe if you'd gotten your butt down here on time instead of wasting the day with that…" Raph paused as he left the kitchen, realising everyone was already taking their places for dinner. With a 'humph', and pointedly ignoring the far end of the table he dumped plates in front of Splinter and Don. Mike followed him out looking like he was close to tears, staring dejectedly at the meals he carried. An evil look briefly came over his face as he thought of a way to get back at his brother, putting the plates he carried in front of Leo and himself. Before anyone could comment he started to whinge.   
"Master! It's not fair. I was saving these chops for a special occasion or something. Now they're just ruined!"

That scored Mike one dark look from Raph as he returned to the table, a second followed as he realised who was left to serve.   
"Thank you." Tausha mumbled, prudently leaving the 'I think' silent as her plate skidded to a halt just in front of her. Despite not looking at her at all Raph stabbed a finger in her direction, leaning over Mike accusingly.   
"See! At least someone appreciates the effort I've gone too!"   
"She's a guest, idiot. She _has_ too! When are ya gonna learn that cooking is like dealing with a fine lady. It takes finesse…"   
"And what the hell do you know about 'dealing with ladies', huh?" Seemingly oblivious to the looming threat in his brothers' narrowed eyes and clench fists Mikey explained smugly.   
"Well I think the fact that ladies choose to spend their time with me over the rest of you lot speaks for itself!"

"Hang on." Tausha interrupted the three acts of violence about to be done. "You're not talking about me are you?" Mikey nodded, beaming.   
"Oh, you threw me for a moment there 'cos I aint no 'lady', so any 'finessing' you've been trying has just gone shoooo…" she waved her hand in a 'fly by' over her head, with a teasing smile.   
"Darn it!" Mike dramatically plonked his cheek on his fist "Just gonna have to try harder then, huh?" his grin ruining the glum pretence.   
"Yeah, a lot harder." her light sarcasm failed to dint their expressions. A chuckle from the end of the table distracted the other three turtles from their confusion, relieving what was left of the tension.   
"I am glad you are on friendly terms with at least some of my sons, and have not allowed them to overwhelm you too much." Still uncertain just what was going on, but reassured by Splinters' acceptance of the situation Raph slowly took his seat. He struggled to restrain a smirk at his brother being put down again, as he saw it anyway.

They all concentrated on scraping the worst of the charcoal of their meat for a minute. Figuring the cream coloured goop couldn't decide if it was potato salad or mash either Tausha chose to distract her self from looking at the meal, since it didn't taste nearly as bad as it appeared.   
"I did have a think about what I need to do, but I can't think of a different plan to the one I had originally." she admitted to Splinter.   
"What was your plan, in full, originally?" Splinter responded.   
"Pretty simple actually; get out of the city. Then, get a job to save the money get home."   
"Is there someone you can stay with once you return to Melbourne?"   
"Yes. My kendo-sensei is a really good friend. He knows about my family, and he even offered to foster me before I left. But, the Aussie Government weren't gonna allow it while I still had a close relative they could send me too."   
"You cannot request his assistance in returning home?"   
"No. Actually he probably would help, if I asked. Kendo isn't exactly a popular sport though, so he runs the dojo more for the enjoyment than the cash. If he sent me the money for the fare home it'd put a real squeeze on the school. At best it'd mean the team wouldn't be able to travel to comps, or get new equipment and stuff for a while. I can't do that to them, it just wouldn't be fair."

"Did your mother leave you any money in a will?" queried Leo. Tausha sighed.   
"Yeah, but Mum and Grandad were executors for each other. So since they both went it left it up to the good ol' Government to sort stuff out. They liquefied most of the assets, since they reckon I'm not old enough to manage 'em yet. All the proceeds from that and insurance and everything else have been chucked in a trust fund. I can't touch it till I'm twenty one."   
"Wouldn't they allow you a payment to live on or something?" asked Don.   
"They already do. But, it gets sent to my Dad. And I'm not about to call 'em up and tell them where to redirect it 'cos they'll just let Dad know where to find me instead."   
"Even though he hits ya?" Mike asked.   
"They don't know about that."   
"Why not?" Leos' turn again.   
"'Cos I'd have to report it for them to know about it, and since Dad owns half the cops in this town the report would get 'lost' somewhere along the line; if they even bothered to take it in the first place. Mum had the same problem."

"Leonardo indicated you did not have many funds at your disposal, how will you live before you find work?" Splinter asked.   
"I don't have a lot of cash, but I do have a bit of jewellery to hock. I don't want to do it in the city though, in-case I get recognised. Dad has most of the pawn shops in his pocket too. I can also sell off my shinai and ninja-to, if I need to."   
"You'd sell your weapons?" Leo was incredulous.   
"Yeah. Shinai aren't too expensive to replace, and Dad gave me the ninja-to; won't be too heartbroken to part with it. He confiscated my katana, so that's gone already. That's the only one I'd find really hard to sell, if I had it. Besides, I figure if Dad does track me down a sword probably won't be a huge help anyway."   
"D'ya hate him, your Dad?" Mike asked uncertainly. Tausha looked pained as she took a moment to consider her answer.   
"Honestly? No. Well, sometimes. But he is still my Dad, and the only family I have left. I don't think I could ever hate him outright. Doesn't mean I wanna live with him, though." She glanced cautiously round the table, relieved her confession had elicited understanding smiles from most, until the grimace on Raphs' face made her wince.

"Do you have any idea where you want to go, once you're out of the city?" Don queried.   
"Not really. I was hoping you might be able to help me out with that. I haven't gotten out of the city since I arrived here, so the memories I have of the towns out there are from when I was four. Probably not the best thing to go on, heh."   
"Hey! What about the farm?" Mikey exclaimed.   
"Too isolated, she would have a tough time getting into town to get work from there." Don explained.   
"And there's no way Case would ever agree." Raph muttered to his plate. Ignoring his brother Don continued,   
"However, Northampton may be a good idea anyway. We can get you there without any hassles, and we have somewhere close-by we can stay if you do need our help. After practice tomorrow we'll have a roam about on-line and see what's available there accommodation and job-wise, OK?"   
"OK." Tausha agreed, more relieved than she expected to be at the prospect of not being left totally alone to fend for her self.

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Raph shook his head as he reached back into the hot water. He hated doing the dishes at the best of times and was already sick of this chore. Making it worse was the fact he had volunteered for this, something he had sworn to himself he was _never_ gonna do again. Plus, since he had made dinner, everyone else had decided to pitch in to help. Usually he wouldn't complain, but he was determined to ignore that girl as much as possible. It was the least she deserved. But, having her wander up right next to him to grab a dish to dry, laughing at something goofy Mike was spouting made it so difficult not to at least glance her way…


	19. Chapter 19

Disclaimer: I don't own the TMNT, or any related characters (much to their relief, I'm sure!) If there is anything else in this story you recognise from somewhere else, then I don't own that either.

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Tausha relaxed back on the couch, Mike bouncing down beside her. She felt much more comfortable now she had gotten to know all these guys a little better. She'd managed to watch their whole training session that morning, Splinter inviting her to sit on the step nearby. To her surprise the Sensei had even taken time occasionally to ask her opinion on the moves and reactions of his sons as he put them through their paces.

Then, after lunch, she'd discovered the treasure trove that was Donatello's laboratory. She and Mike had joined the quiet turtle to use a computer in the lab, leaving Splinter in peace to watch his soaps. The size of the room had been astounding; it was easily more than half the size of the main room. The area nearest the door was set up like an office with a variety of computers within a large cubicle, walled with tall bookshelves. The rest of the room was dotted with assorted tables, one had a microscope, and another held a large glass tank containing tadpoles and young frogs. Others were piled with books and papers, or mechanical bits and pieces. Interspersed with these were devices large and small, most only partially completed. Some Tausha could recognise the purpose of, others she had no clue about.

She'd tried hard not to be rude and get distracted from the information Don was trawling from the internet regarding Northampton. But the books proved too much of a temptation as she pulled one from the shelf; 'Equine Evolution'. The pages were stained grey-brown on the bottom half, though the text was still legible for the most part. Don had looked up as she leant back against the desk, Mikey playing absently with a yo-yo on her other side.   
"That's pretty heavy reading. It gets into the genetics of the different breeds and everything."   
"Cool." Her face had grown even more avid as she read.   
"You like science?" Don asked dubiously. Nodding, Tausha had answered,   
"Sure. Anything to do with animals really." she'd finally looked up with a smile "Part of the reason I want to get home. At least there I can hopefully go back to school. It can be really tough to get into Uni when you're home schooled, since there's no guarantee you've followed the curriculum for the entrance exams."   
"I'd love the chance to go to University…" Don admitted dreamily "So what do you want to study?"   
"Dunno. Biochemistry, Palaeontology or Vet Science; anything like that I can get into."   
"Hey! How about becomin' a Zoo Keeper? You've already got experience dealing with large, aggressive animals!" Mike teased.   
"Yeah, aggravating ones too!" Tausha retorted as Mike easily ducked the lazy backhand she'd aimed at his head, both giggling.

It hadn't taken long to find a few budget hostels and motels that might prove suitable for her accommodation, at least to start off with. They'd even checked out a few waitress and office junior jobs online, at least there was work available there. After that Don had lead them out to the railcar, asking Tausha to help with the repair of a few DVD players and other household appliances. Her small fingers proved a big help in holding the components in place within the confines of the cases.   
"You guys already have a pretty awesome set up here, what do you need all these extra units for?"   
"Oh, they're not for us. We gather stuff that's been tossed out, get it working again then sell it at second hand stores; one way to make a living." Don had explained.   
"I usually get April to help with this kind of thing, but she doesn't get down to us as often as she used too…" Tausha had almost asked why, but Dons' brief disconsolate expression warned her against it. She'd decided to change the subject instead.   
"You've got a great lab in there, so why have ya got this out here?"   
"I can get a little carried away sometimes" Don admitted, his cheeks colouring slightly "so Splinter likes me to work out here every now and then."   
"Heh heh! Have to make sure he doesn't become too much of a 'reclusive' mad scientist!" Mike had taunted as he screwed together a casing, grinning at the dark look Don threw him.

Splinter having retired to meditate, they spent the rest of the afternoon in front of the TVs, competing on the x-box. She suspected Mike let her win a few times, though she didn't mind sitting out regularly. It gave her a chance to spy on Leo as he moved through his katas in the dojo. She'd seen daisho technique performed briefly once before by her kendo-sensei's teacher visiting from Japan, and thought that was one of the most awesome things she'd ever seen. But that guy got relegated to the clumsy, boring basket in her mind compared to the grace, accuracy and speed Leo could achieve with his two blades.

Mike had left for the kitchen early, banning all from entry until dinner. Figuring Don would be much less likely to turn her query into a joke she'd asked him something that had been playing on her mind.   
"Raph seems to be doing all the housework around here, is it his turn this week or something?"   
"No. It's one of the punishments Splinter gets us to do when we disobey him."   
"Why's he being punished?" she'd asked quietly, afraid she already knew the answer. Don had paused the game to turn to her.   
"It's not your fault, if that's what you're thinking. Raph brought it on himself, literally this time. He actually volunteered to do the chores for a week to make amends."   
"For what?"   
"Keeping secrets from Sensei. He didn't tell any of us about being friends with you, so finding out he'd been sneaking off to meet you for so long… kinda upset Splinter. I think he was afraid you were trying to lead Raph astray or something."   
"Oh. Splinter doesn't seem that strict, do you guys get punished like this a lot?"   
"Heh! No, only when we deserve it. Always seems to be often enough to keep the place looking reasonably civilised, though I don't think that's Master Splinters' plan at all."   
"No dah!" Mike put in from where he had snuck up behind the couch "You wouldn't think it, but Raphie boy is the best darn house-turtle in the world! Sure gets enough practise at it anyway!"

Yet again Raph had made a point of ignoring her completely whenever they were within twenty feet of each other. At least he'd been kept busy cleaning the upstairs bathroom all afternoon. Thinking he'd grow out of it, if and when he was ready, Tausha had decided early that day not to let it get under her skin. Too much. She didn't even bother looking his way as he sat heavily on the far end of the couch, the other side of Mike, having finished cleaning up after dinner. Splinter was back in his armchair, Leo on the plastic recliner, and Don sat on the chair for the computer set to one side of the TVs.

"Boring!" Mike faked a yawn, reaching forward to grab the remote.   
"Wait just a minute; I want to see the headlines." requested Leo.   
"…President claimed the meeting was an overall success. In local news; many of New Yorks leading citizens were relieved today as the request for Oroku Karai to be extradited to Japan was declined by the high court." Cut to a large, well dressed woman in a feathered hat and elaborate diamond necklace.   
"I know many have argued that Ms Oroku is not directly to blame for the fireworks explosion at her Father's celebration, and that given his passing after that event, she has suffered enough. The fact still remains however, that she is the most liable person remaining, as her being found guilty of negligent manslaughter has proven. So she is responsible for New York being deprived of some of its most outstanding citizens; my dear husband not the least of these. I think it only fair that she serve out her paltry sentence here, where she can contemplate just what she has cost this great city."   
"Idiots." Raph muttered darkly "They should just let the bitch go. At least then she'd be further way from us, hey bro?"   
"Yeah Raph, you're right." Leo sighed in resignation "Just drop it, OK?" They all returned their attention to the broadcast for a minute.

"Hey! Check it out!" Mike enthused as a picture appeared over the newsreaders' shoulder, a school portrait though it was a face they all recognised.   
"Police are baffled by the disappearance of a young girl over the weekend. Although they have not publicized many details regarding her identity, they have revealed she was last seen in the early hours of Sunday morning one block north of Times Square. They have reason to believe she may be injured and in need of assistance. It is also possible she has or will attempt to leave the city. Police have confirmed that cash rewards are available for any information assisting their enquiries into this matter, and that a sum of half a million dollars has also been offered to anyone who can ensure the prompt, safe return of the girl. Please call the number on your screen if you have any information regarding the girls' movements in the past 48 hours, callers may remain anonymous."

Tausha cringed as far back in the couch as she could, each second stretched for an eternity as she waited for her companions to react. Mike was the first to move, twisting in his seat to face her with an evil, cheeky grin.   
"Wow! Talk about hitting pay dirt!" His face immediately fell to one of concern as she only whimpered in response.   
"Hey! You don't think we'd really turn you in, do ya?"   
"It is a lot of money…" her voice barely audible.   
"Money is not everything." Splinter assured "We have given you our word that we will assist you, and we will not dishonour that." Grateful for the kind words and the compassion in Splinter and Dons' faces, Leo and Raphs' responses blocked by Mikes' goofy smile, Tausha swallowed the lump in her throat to murmur a sincere "Thank you." before Mike attempted to suffocate her in a jovial hug.

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Mike loved Wednesday. That was pocket money day, and just so happened to coincide with new comic day! What could be cooler? He did his usual excited shuffle as he waited for Splinter to fetch their allowance from the tin he kept safe in his room. It was never very much of course, though Splinter gave them what he felt they could spare each week. Mike always tried to be grateful for whatever he got, but he had a tough time with it this week.   
"Only five bucks, Master?" he tried to sound as if he were concerned for their overall finances, instead of his true worry; which comics would he have to skip getting?   
"I am sorry Michelangelo, but our savings are dwindling. Plus, we will have larger grocery expenses than normal for the next week or so. I would rather be prudent than sorry."   
"It's OK." Mike assured, already thinking on how to wheedle some extra cash out of his brothers. His plotting interrupted as Leo wrapped a strong arm about his shoulders, directing him towards the coats hung near the tunnel door.   
"C'mon Mike. Let's head out early to do a perimeter check before we head on to the store." Mike groaned in protest, then thought of the perfect diversion,   
"But what about Tau? What's she gonna do, huh?"   
"I'm sure she can live without you for one afternoon."

Grumbling to himself Mike slipped into his street wear. This Wednesday wasn't turning out so great. Bad enough Leo had insisted on accompanying him on his travels to comic stores since his run-in with the Purple Dragons, but his brothers' version of a 'perimeter check' involved hours of trudging the sewers surrounding their home doing detailed, boring checks on all the surveillance gear, traps and false walls they had set up. Given he was probably worried about the Dragons' coming after Tausha, Mike was sure this trip was going to be particularly tedious.

As the two left, Don made his way to the elevator to catch-up with some maintenance on the Battle-shell; unsure what else to do Tausha sat on the couch to watch the soaps with Splinter. Realising she was watching the clock more than the screen, and it had only been 20 minutes, she decided to investigate what was keeping Raph in the kitchen. Splinter seemed to engrossed in his show to pay her much heed so she took a moment to take a deep breath and clench her fists in determination before she cautiously poked her head in the door way.

The side had been cleared of the dishes and drying rack, Raph half-heartedly sweeping the floor at the far end with his back to the door. Noticing a few cleaning products out on the bench top she decided to take a chance on a stupid impulse. It wasn't her intention to sneak in, though in her nervousness she didn't say a word, jumping almost as badly as he did as the first two squirts from the Spray 'n' Wipe sounded. Grabbing a cloth Tausha acted as if she hadn't seen his outraged face at all; concentrating on the small patch of bench she was trying to scrub through instead.   
"What the hell d'ya think you're doin'?" Raph snarled.   
"Helping out." Tausha responded, surprised herself at how calm and flippant her voice sounded.   
"Why?"   
"You have to do this because of me, right? It's only fair I pitch in too."   
"I don't need you're help to get into trouble, and I sure as hell don't need it to get out." Raph thumped the broom on the floor in temper. Tausha tossed the spray bottle and cloth down on the counter, folding her arms and pointedly turning her back on him.   
"Fine! Just say the word and I'll go then."

Silence.

After an eon Tausha almost gave in to the impulse to turn about and see if he was sneaking up to throttle her. Instead she was startled to hear the sound of the broom working on the floor. Warily she risked a quick glance. He'd turned his back again, the tension in his arms and neck clear as he attacked the floor as if trying to sweep up the discoloured vinyl itself. With a curt little nod to herself she set back to work with the cloth, holding it a little too tight to stop the shaking in her hands.

Raph made a point of keeping his shell to the girl as he completed his task. He'd decided the only good thing to come out of this mess was the fact that doing the chores this week made it damn easy to avoid her most of the time. He'd even planned on working on his bike every afternoon till she left, once this week was over. Finishing the repairs to the paint job wouldn't take too long, but he figured he may as well use Leos' neurotic controls to his advantage, for once.

Coming to a halt in the far corner he paused to glare swiftly at her back. She'd moved down a bit from the large arc he'd skipped sweeping around where she had been stood. For a moment he considered returning to finish the job, but that thought made the tightness in his throat arc-up again. Damn it. He hated feeling like this. After all it was the only reason he hadn't told her to go, he didn't want to embarrass himself croaking the demand. Well maybe not the only reason. If she wanted to suffer a bit too, who was he to stop her, right?

Savagely he scooped the muck he'd collected, dumping it noisily in the bin before grabbing out the mop and bucket. Luckily she was working on the end of the bench furthest from the sink. Still, it irked him hugely that she didn't even seem to acknowledge his presence there. He was supposed to be ignoring her, not the other way round! With a grunt he hefted the bucket to the far corner. He'd only mopped a small area when she dashed his hopes she'd leave after finishing the bench top and cupboards, moving to start on the oven instead.   
"Damn stubborn cow." he thought, returning to his internal debate regarding the pros and cons of who should be ignoring who.

"Ow!"   
"Watch where you're going will ya?" Raph snarled.   
"What? You walked in to me!" Tausha correctly pointed out. Desperately failing to come up with a rebuttal for that little fact, he settled for a gruff "Sorry." over his shoulder. She stopped him walking away with a gentle hand on his arm.   
"Me too. For everything." Raph froze. Why the hell did he feel like he was gonna cry? Unwilling to attempt to speak he settled for a quick nod before he walked over to the bucket. Mentally kicking himself for being so weak he went back to work with his back to the girl, for the most part. A quick glance revealed she was doing the same. Despite feeling like a fool, Raph did find he could breathe easier. His shoulders starting to ache little as they released the tension they'd held for the last few days. The next hour passed without a word until they found themselves stood side by side, perusing their handiwork.   
"Is that it?"   
"Yep." Raph hoped he didn't sound as disappointed as he felt.

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AN: Well was that enough ease the tension over whether Raph and Tau were ever gonna talk to each other again? To be continued next chapter…-evil grin- Though warning, the next one will probably be late!


	20. Chapter 20

A/N: (o.O) Got this one done on time? Wow. You know you're too addicted to fics when… lol! Apologies to anyone I confused a little with my last upload. I actually put-up two chapters at once, then stupidly wondered why the hit counter for Chapter 18 wasn't as good as for 19. Then realised all those who wait for this to pop up on the 'just in' list then skip to the last chapter probably got thrown a bit by this. My bad, promise if I'm ever this nuts again I'll put a warning on the extra chapters!

Also want to thank all those who give me feedback on this. It really is appreciated and I want to assure you that I haven't 'sped up' the content of this tale, just the writing of it. I'm actually surprised it's turned out this detailed, when I started writing it I thought I'd have it knocked over in five chapters! Sometimes I get a bit frustrated with it myself wanting to get onto the next scene that gives me a giggle or sigh when I'm writing it, but don't wanna skimp on the lead up to these either… darn catch 22! lol!

Disclaimer: I don't own the TMNT, or any related characters (much to their relief, I'm sure!) If there is anything else in this story you recognise from somewhere else, then I don't own that either.

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Leo felt more at ease than he had in days as he made his way through the tunnels back to the lair, Mikey following behind with his nose in a comic. Despite the extra caution they were going to have to take in getting Tausha out of the city and settled somewhere safe, the news broadcast had finally settled the last doubts he'd had regarding the truth of her tale. He'd also taken it as a sign that Hun didn't realise just where his daughter may have gotten to. Still, making a thorough check of their defences had helped alleviate his concerns as well.

He had taken a bit longer than normal to check each section, bribing Mike early on with his allowance to stop him moaning and poking things he shouldn't in boredom. It wasn't a big cost since he knew his wily brother would end up getting the money out of him one way or another anyway.

A ripple occurred in Leos' new-found calm as soon as he opened the door to the lair. Something was different. He couldn't pinpoint what exactly. It was almost as if a small annoying noise he'd managed to put out of his mind was gone. A quick scan of the room didn't pick up anything out of the ordinary. No broken furniture, no blood, not even a brooding silence. Afternoon cartoons were flickering boisterously across the TVs, the backs of a couple of heads visible on the couch. The play of candle light on Splinters' shogi screen door indicated his sensei was still in meditation. Don was nowhere in sight, but that wasn't unusual.

Settling in the armchair Leo returned Taushas' brief smile before she turned her attention back to the screens. He got no such acknowledgement from Raph, slouched up the other end of the couch with his arms and ankles crossed, feet propped on the coffee table. It hit Leo. Apart from their short-lived meeting in the plant room a few nights ago, this was the first time he had seen these two relaxed in each others' company. They were still sat as far apart as they could be on the couch, and obviously hadn't been engrossed in conversation or anything, but the tension that had existed between them was all but gone.

Raphs' expression was inscrutable; not particularly happy, but he certainly wasn't angry either. Leo didn't realise he was staring in his attempt to figure out just what it meant until Raph glared at him with a testy "What?"   
"That's what I'd like to know..." interrupted Mike, coming from the kitchen munching a cookie in one hand, the other hidden behind his back "like, what have you done to my kitchen?" Raph shrugged.   
"Cleaned it." he stated matter-of-factly.   
"'Cleaned it'? Are we having a photo shoot for 'Home Beautiful' or something?"   
"You sayin' I did a good job?" Raph asked smugly.   
"Dude. You _polished_ the bin. I'm sayin' you need professional help!"

Ignoring his brothers' scowl Mikey stepped nimbly over his legs to bounce-down on the spare section of couch, facing Tausha with a huge cheeky grin.   
"Did ya miss me?"   
"Nup." letting her attention get drawn by his devastated look she revised with a grin of her own "Well, maybe just a little."   
"Just as well too, or I wouldn't be givin' ya this!" Mike produced the magazine he'd had hidden with a flourish.   
"Oh Mikey, you didn't have to get me this!" she admonished lightly in sincere gratitude.   
"So, who's your favourite turtle?" he asked, confident he knew the answer.   
"Hmmm," Tausha made a show of thinking for a moment, before announcing "Franklin!"   
"Huh? What's that little pipsqueak got that I haven't!" demanded Mike, righteously indignant.   
"A network television deal."   
"Oh, hardy har har." Mike tossed himself back on the couch, arms crossed in a mock-grump, doing a pretty good parody of his brother sat next to him. Tausha rested her head on his shoulder.   
"Seriously though, thankyou." Reaching over to give her a gentle noogie Mike assured,   
"Anytime, babe." his smile winning through again.

Leo 'hmpfed' lightly.   
"I was wondering why you bought a copy of 'Hoof Beats'." Mike attempted to put on a serious lecturing tone.   
"Well Leo, when you take the time to get to know someone…, you get to… know 'em…" he petered out, realizing his speech didn't have quite the impact he'd hoped for.

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By lunch the next day Leo still hadn't figured it out. He was just as relieved as everyone else that the friction had dissipated, though it was obvious Raph and Tausha hadn't settled all their differences. They continued to ignore each other, not as pointedly as before, but if they could look anywhere else without being overly rude they would. And they were speaking politely now, the few words they had to anyway. So why couldn't he shake the sliver of apprehension in his gut?

Tausha was healing well. The bruising on her face was reduced to a mottled blue-green discolouring around her eye socket and the bridge of her nose, and following the lines of the worst two welts up her cheek. It would only be another couple of days before that colour was gone too; and her along with it, if all went to plan.

Leo knew he should be happy for his brother. It seemed Raph had been telling the truth, that they were only friends, all along; and after realizing Taushas' heritage it appeared anything else was well out of the question now regardless. With a small sigh Leo mulled over the possibility that Mike had been right a few days ago, maybe he was jealous. Trust Raph to make friends with a girl who seemed to hold her own values far apart from those of their enemies she was affiliated with, and the two got to part on civil terms. At least that truncated the opportunities for Raph to get hurt by this situation, any more than he had been…

The growling bass of Yoko Kannos' 'Lithium Flower' interrupted the dialogue, both internal and external, at the table. The music cut off as Don answered his shell-cell.   
"Hello? --- Hey April! --- Tonight? Yeah, that'd be great. We will need a little extra though; we kinda have a house guest at the moment. --- It's a bit complicated, so we'll fill you in when you get here. --- Hang on, I'll check." Putting his hand over the receiver Don turned to Tausha.   
"Would you prefer chinese or pizza for dinner?" Leo slapped a hand over Mikes' mouth, almost by reflex.   
"It's Taushas' choice." he reinforced, though the girl looked a bit befuddled trying to determine the right decision from the silent pleas around the table.

The only one not hoping she would read their preference from their eyes was Raph, looking somewhere over her shoulder. Leo noticed however, as he caught her attention with a crooked finger, hidden from Mike behind his other arm resting on the table. Surreptitiously Raph held out one finger and then gave a thumbs up.   
"Um… chinese?" Tausha guessed; to the obvious relief of Leo and Splinter, Mikes' utter dismay, and Raphs' smug smirk.   
"Cool!" exclaimed Don, turning back to his phone conversation.   
"Awww, no fair!" Mike whined. Before Tausha could follow through on her sympathetic expression and capitulate, Leo interceded.   
"We've had pizza the last three times April and Case have shouted us dinner, Mike. Time for a change, huh?"

Despite clearly having made the right choice for the majority Tausha still felt rotten as her friend muttered unhappily to himself, hoping to make amends a little by whispering "Sorry" as he looked up. Battling through his depression with a brave smile, Mike shrugged.   
"It's OK…" Overhearing the exchange, Raphs' smirk lost some of its arrogant sheen.

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Tausha couldn't believe how nervous she was, gripping her hands behind her back to hide the tremors as the guys leapt towards the elevator to greet April. Part of the cause was none of her introductions to Raphs' folks so far could have been considered smooth. She actually felt exposed for once wearing her singlet; Splinter had asked that she did not conceal her tattoo and its origins from their extended family. On top of that, there were very few women she had found she could actually relate to. The majority just dismissed her as a weird tomboy that might be worth talking to once she'd grown out of her obsessions with strange things like Asian culture and funky animal facts; and for the most part that was fine with her. She dismissed conversations revolving around celebrity relationships and fashion tips as pointless and boring anyway.

At first sight Tausha worried her fears would be realised as the tall, pretty red-head greeted Splinter and the Turtles with hugs and laughter, Raph and Don quickly relieving her of the large bags of food she carried.   
"…and this is Tausha." Mike introduced her with his usual flamboyancy. She hoped like heck the expression on her face looked like the smile she meant, not the grimace she felt as the woman had quickly looked her up and down in surprise before turning to her friends.   
"My goodness! Another human? When you guys said you had a house guest I was expecting an alien, or mutant, or monster… you know, the usual!" She extended a hand and friendly smile to the girl.   
"Hi! I'm April, glad these guys have finally dragged home someone I have a chance of understanding straight up!" With a nervous chuckle Tausha shook hands.   
"Um…, G'day."

"Hey Ape, where's Case?" Raph butt in. With a frustrated sigh April plonked her hands on her hips.   
"To be honest I don't know what that man is up to. He's been 'busy' the last few nights doing goodness knows what. He won't tell me a thing about it, just that it'll mean a big surprise if he can pull it off. I was hoping you guys might know what he's got himself mixed up in?" The four brothers exchanged blank looks.   
"Sorry April, we haven't spoken to Casey for days." Leo explained "We can go look for him if you want." he started to lead the way to the elevator.   
"No. I'm sure he's fine. Besides, I've threatened him with dire death if he doesn't show up for dinner tonight. So if he's not here by eight I was gonna sick you guys on him anyway."   
"Sounds like a plan!" Mike agreed "But we get to eat first, right?"

Aprils' candour relieved some of Taushas' anxiety. A competition over who could tell most, or rather their version of Taushas' story to April over dinner quickly developed between the Turtles, only allowing the protagonist to answer Aprils' queries regarding stuff she hadn't already covered, and that wasn't very much!   
"So you really are Huns' daughter? I don't mean to offend you or anything; it's just that you're so… small."   
"Heh. Don't worry, I get that a lot; even from people who don't know my Dad's so big." Tausha admitted grudgingly "I took after my Mum's side of the family, and they're all midgets. My Grandad even used to be a jockey, way back when."   
"Wow, really? Was he in any great races?"   
"Nah. He did ride in the same race as Phar Lap once, early on before he became a legend. That was Grandads' only real claim to fame."   
"Who the heck is that?" Mike whispered. Don shrugged in response as April and Tausha began an animated discussion about a movie the guys finally figured out starred a horse!   
"Um… I hate to break things up ladies, but we were telling a story here." Mike reminded them, beaming as he regained the groups' attention.

They had all finished eating long before Leo completed his telling of Taushas' past.   
"Oh. I think it's sad when people don't marry for love; it only ever seems to end in more heart-ache. I must admit though I didn't think Hun would be so honourable as to wed a girl he got pregnant by accident." April observed with sympathy.   
"The way my Mum told it he wasn't really that fussed, until she got an ultrasound. The sonographer thought I was a boy. Pow! Three weeks later they were hitched." Tausha shrugged.   
"Apparently Dad wasn't very happy when he found out the mistake."   
"I can imagine!" exclaimed April "So what are you going to do now?" Don took the initiative to explain their plan.

"Well, you may have to lay low for a little while first, just to let people forget your face. I thought you looked familiar, but didn't realise it was from seeing you on the news the other night until I put two and two together. That doesn't mean there aren't others out there who will recognise you more easily, especially with that kind of money on offer. Though I suppose there is less chance of it in Northampton…" April thought for a moment.   
"I used to run a second-hand store and still know a few good people in the business. If you want I can trade-in some of your jewellery for you. And if you give me a list of anything you need, I can pick it up."   
"Really?" Tausha asked hopefully, already making a mental list of stuff she wished she'd remembered to pack. Shampoo and a toothbrush topped the listing.   
"Sure. Why don't you bring out some pieces and we can figure out what will fetch enough to cover what you need for now. Give me until Sunday to get everything sorted. Then you can come over for lunch and pick up your supplies and any money left over. It'll give you a chance to reacclimatise to the human race as well. Heh! I love these guys, but believe me I know living with them can be a bit wearing!"

It was getting close to eight o'clock as April appraised the chains Tausha had up-ended from her jewellery box onto the coffee table.   
"Are you sure you want to sell all of these?" April asked; realising the tangle of precious metals and gems weren't fake as she'd first thought.   
"Yeah. I never wear 'em anyway, except for this one." Tausha extricated a narrow leather necklace, a small dolphin worked in smooth stone hung on it.   
"I don't think you'd get quite as much for that one anyway." laughed April "But this other stuff will definitely be worth quite a bit."

Leo paced behind the couch as Don tried to pick up Caseys' homing signal on his shell-cell.   
"Got it! It looks like he's headed this way, and pretty close." A buzzer sounded, warning of unauthorised movement in the warehouse.   
"That'd be him now." Raph stated "The idiot's forgotten the new security code, again." Tausha hung back near the couch as April and the Turtles approached the elevator. The door opened to evict a tall, rough and ready looking guy shouldering a golf bag, an assortment of sporting goods poking out the top. He dumped the bag to grab April up in a fierce hug before punching fists with Raph and tousling Mikeys' bandana in greeting.   
"Hey! Ape says you've been busy havin' fun without us? What's the haps, huh?" questioned Raph.   
"Sorry fellas; wanna do this one on my own. Let's just say I may have found a way to make all our lives a little easier, and get one over on a loser who's had it comin' for far too long. Shouldn't be too hard, just a matter of finding somethi… _you_!" he stabbed an accusing finger at the girl he'd just noticed.

Tausha was sure she had never seen this guy before and had no idea why he looked so furious, but she couldn't help cowering under her arm as he stalked away from the stunned group near the elevator, raising his own arm to backhand her. Wondering why he'd grunted, but hadn't landed his blow Tausha dared to open an eye to see a shell blocking her view.   
"What the hell are ya doin' Raph?" Casey gurgled over his bicep wedged under his neck.   
"Don't you dare hit her." the fierce threat in his friends' face and voice made Casey step back. Raph held his ground, releasing the arm he'd captured. Casey nursed his shoulder briefly in confusion, noticing the girl was slowly standing and lowering her defence he was sure he hadn't made a mistake.

"Do you have any idea who that is?" Casey got in Raphs' face; his finger jabbing over his stubborn friend's shoulder caused the girl to flinch back again. Raph remained steadfast.   
"Yeah." he drawled. Casey recognised that look, that tone; though thankfully he'd rarely been on the receiving end of it. Unfortunately he never could back down easily from a challenge. He did opt for keeping this one verbal for now, however.   
"That bitch is Huns' _daughter_, you moron!" Casey settled for punching the air again with his finger. Raphs' growl and attempt to draw his sai cut short by Leo stepping in to grab his wrists.   
"Hey dude, chill. We know, and she's a friend." Mike explained as he and Don pulled Casey back a couple of steps.   
"_What?_ Are you guys nuts? She's the damn enemy! You can't be friends with her!"

With help from April and Splinter they managed to calm Casey down enough to lead him over to the dining table to sit. Raph didn't relax at all, only turning his head to watch Casey like a hawk until he was seated. Then Leo loosened his grip slightly as he felt some of the tension seep from Raphs' arms.   
"Breathe" he murmured quietly, keeping watch as his brother took two deep breaths before releasing his hold on his weapons; Leo releasing his grip completely as well. Raph didn't actually look at the girl stood behind him, demanding brusquely half over his shoulder "You OK?"   
"Yeah." Tausha answered weakly. Raph gave a small nod then stalked just past the far end of the couch to stand watch, arms crossed; he kept his eye fixed on the group at the table. Leo had been surprised at the vehemence of Raphs' reaction to Caseys' attack. Now he couldn't help shaking his head over his brothers' insensitivity, offering the pale, shaking girl a hand to sit on the couch. She gave him a brief, uncertain smile.   
"Thanks. I'll be fine." she murmured.   
"Are you sure?" Leo crouched in front of her, trying to read her eyes, though she turned away with a nod.

"She's been stayin' here how long? I can't believe you guys are actually helpin' her! You should just turn her in for the money, or at least use her as bait to get those Dragon scum right where we want 'em!" Leo saw Mike wince as Casey thumped the table. Not needing to be asked twice Mike quickly obeyed Leo waving him over.   
"Just keep an eye on her, OK? I'll help deal with Casey." Leo instructed.   
"No probs, bro!" Mike gratefully accepted, sinking onto the couch to gently grasp Taushas' shoulder in support. She wasn't crying, but she didn't respond either. In silence Mike left his hand where it was, despite her seeming to ignore his presence.

It took most of an hour, but Casey finally seemed to accept that his friends were serious about protecting this chick. He absolutely refused to apologise to her, though Splinter was the only one who had suggested in a quiet aside that it may be appropriate. It was bad enough that April shot him enough evil warning looks to stop him protesting when she reiterated her invitation for Sunday lunch as they left. The little cow had looked like she was gonna say 'no', till April murmured something he couldn't quite catch to her. Even then the girl had only nodded hesitantly.

The mood in the lair was fairly sombre after April and Casey left. Since Taushas' altercation with Casey she had responded minimally to queries, only speaking when spoken to. She kept her eyes averted from everyone, despite efforts from most to cheer her up, before she beat a hasty retreat to her room. Raph had conspicuously avoided the girl, keeping a good distance and his shell between them. Something in Leo snapped as he spotted his rude brother give a quick glance towards the upper tier just before she disappeared from view, then treated the rest of his family to a brief but foul glare.   
"What is your problem?" demanded Leo, the irony of the situation fuelling his irritation "I know you two aren't on the best of terms, but she is your friend; or at least she was. Would it have killed you to treat her with a little compassion?"   
"Shove it, Leo. You just don't get it." Raph growled back.


	21. Chapter 21

A/N: YAY! Should name this chapter '274 Kelvin' me thinks! Also gonna dedicate this one to **artykidd**. Just 'cos I'm hoping you'll be just a relieved as I am to finally get to this bit. It's been killin' me too! lol! Though rest assured we aren't anywhere near the end of the angst yet -evil grin-.

A big thank-you to everyone else who reviews too! Love hearin' from all of ya!

Disclaimer: I don't own the TMNT, or any related characters (much to their relief, I'm sure!) If there is anything else in this story you recognise from somewhere else, then I don't own that either.

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It wasn't that late, only around ten o'clock. However, after Taushas' departure everyone else had found some excuse or other to retire early. Raph hadn't bothered keeping up the pretence of going to bed beyond solidly closing his door just before Leo reached it. His brother had had that 'if I can get him to talk everything will be alright' look about him, and Raph really wasn't interested. Busying himself with bench presses instead on the old weight bench he kept in his room, enjoying the racket of metal on metal as he heavily dumped the bar back on its stand to take a quick breather.

If he hadn't been resting Raph probably wouldn't have even heard the light tap on his door. Glaring over the towel he was using to wipe his face he willed his pig-headed brother to get the message and just leave him alone. Dropping his head back on the padding something niggled at the back of his mind. Leo would never knock that quietly, if at all if he'd decided they _had_ to talk. He'd probably opted for sending Mike or Don to chat to him instead. Raph flung the cloth back on the floor with an irritated sigh.

"What?" he demanded, not too loudly, hoping whoever had knocked may have given up on getting a response already. When nothing happened for a few moments Raph figured he'd won this round and was reaching up to grab the bar again when he noticed his door open slightly. He sat up in surprise as Tausha tentatively poked her head through.   
"Can I… come in?" she asked softly, looking like she was ready to bolt at a moments notice.   
"Uh…, sure?" Raph shrugged, trying to seem nonchalant though he felt about as nervous as she looked. With a fleeting little smile she stepped inside, pausing uncertainly for a moment before resolutely closing the door behind her. She didn't move from her spot, standing with her hands clasped behind her back and chewing on her lip as they played glance tag for the next few moments.

"What?" Raph asked, his voice a little gruffer than he'd intended, making her start. Tausha started to fidget, mumbling to her hands as she concentrated on steepling them in front of her.   
"I… I'm sorry to intrude. It's just that… I, ah, I wanted too…"   
"Sit down before ya fall down." ordered Raph. Tausha put her speech, such as it was, on hold as she hesitantly crossed his room. To his surprise she didn't take a seat on his desk chair, or even his hammock as he'd expected. Instead she perched primly on the bench next to him, leaving as much of a gap between them as she could manage. She gave him a brief, tremulous smile, searching for approval. Given he looked shocked more than angry she accepted that as an OK and settled into her spot, leaning forward to support herself with her forearms on her thighs, head bowed.

Feeling a sudden need to be busy Raph scooped up the cloth he'd discarded and gave his face and shoulders another rough towelling down. She waited until the cloth hit the floor once more, Raph bracing his hands on his knees with an abrupt sigh, before taking a deep breath and trying again.   
"I just wanted to thank you… for protecting me…, and not making a big deal of it all."   
"Hmpf, forget it. Reckon it's easier to deal with that kinda thing on ya own first, rather than getting some know-it-all in ya face, trying to make everything all better straight away. Besides, I know you'll talk when you wanna."   
"Hmm, yeah." Tausha agreed, with a grateful half-smile. An odd not-quite-comfortable quiet descended for a few moments.

"Guess Mike don't know you well enough to have figured that out yet, huh?" Raph hoped he sounded like he was just trying to make conversation.   
"Huh?" Tausha looked up from her inspection of the floor "Nah. I don't think he ever could anyway. He's a sweet guy, but 'reserved' just isn't his style. I'm just glad he didn't get super-mega-happy on me straight away…"   
"Heh! You should be glad you didn't get stuck with Leo for too long. He's got no idea when to quit, and no sense of humour either."   
"Uh huh! You're right there. At least Mikey does have a great sense of humour. I feel a bit rotten for not appreciating it too much tonight. Suppose I was just being a selfish cow, 'cos I know he was only trying to help." Raph shrugged and then shook his head resignedly.   
"Don't think you were bein' selfish, it's just your way of coping." he murmured to the carpet.

After a moments silence Raph risked a glance to see Tausha gazing off to who knows where, lost in thought. She turned to give him an almost expectant look as he bent forward to mimic her posture, elbows on knees. Feeling the need to say something he asked the first thing to pop into his head.   
"So you and Mike seem to have hit it off pretty well." Tausha quirked a curious eyebrow at him.   
"Yeah. He's a good friend." Raph fidgeted with his fingers for a moment, before asking in a rush,   
"I know Mike, he's probably bugged ya to death about what I've told ya. So what have ya told him?"   
"Um…, he did ask me once. I gave him a bit of a summary of how you described him to me, and he hasn't really bothered me about it since." She watched the side of his face for a moment, realising her explanation hadn't eased his tension at all. With a sigh she continued,   
"He wasn't too shocked or upset, and I haven't told him anything else. I haven't let slip that you let his pigeon loose or anything." Raph slowly let out the breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding; feeling much more relieved than he'd expected. They shared a cautious little smile.   
"You should though." Tausha found the courage to lecture softly.   
"Augh! It was years ago, he's probably forgotten all about it. It's not like I meant to, anyway." He shot her a scowl as she chucked lightly, the look softening to an awkward half-grin.

They sobered after a moment, content to sit companionably for a little while. Another thought started to niggle at Raph until he gently broke the peace.   
"So what happened tonight? I've never seen you shrink back from a fight before, and I've come at ya pretty hard at times." He felt like kicking himself as she dropped her head to hide her expression. He had almost built up the nerve to apologise when she lifted her head again, though she kept her face turned away.   
"I dunno. It was like it was instinctive or something, I just couldn't help it. I've gone up against guys that big in competitions and stuff, and never had a problem." she gave an angry shake of her head "Damn it, he just looked so big, so angry… I reacted the same way I do when Dad…" Even in profile Raph could see her jaw clench as she struggled to keep control. He fought the urge to reach out, knowing full well that would put her on the defensive and make her clam up. What she needed now was a chance to vent.

"I feel so… ashamed, how could I just back straight down like that? If Leo hadn't plonked me on the couch I reckon I would have fled straight to my room like a complete baby. Damn glad I didn't though. Didn't want to give him the satisfaction of making me run too…" Raph hunted for something reassuring to say as she rested her fore-head on her hands.   
"Case aint that bad…, usually. I don't think he, or any of us would have thought less of you if you had gone." Tausha gave him a derisive glare.   
"Thanks." her heavy sarcasm meaning anything but, making Raph grimace.   
"That's not how I meant it." he grumped.   
"Sorry." she muttered, a little petulantly, breaking the tense hush.   
"Me too." Raph replied, in the same tone.

Cautiously they both turned to look at each other again, offering small, terse smiles as olive branches.   
"I am sorry." Tausha started, sounding like she meant it this time "I think it's just a bit of a shock to me that I reacted like that. I hope I can get over it. I'm not gonna be much good if I fold as soon as I come up against anyone taller than me." Raph succumbed to an evil grin.   
"I wouldn't worry too much, if I were you. I mean, you certainly don't have a problem goin' up against me." he couldn't help continuing, despite the chill warning in the look she gave him "And it is kinda in our code of honour to assist those that are smaller an' wea…, er, need our help an' stuff, so we'll always be happy ta step in for ya." He had to stop himself squirming in anticipation as she glared at him with an icy, dead-pan expression. Still she couldn't psych him enough for him to miss grabbing her arm as she aimed a sudden back-hand at his midriff. He laughed out loud as she turned away in a huff.   
"I'm not that much smaller than you, buddy. You're still a short-arse, even by my standards, and that aint anything to be proud of. And I certainly am not weaker than you!" she struggled to free her captured limb as he wrapped his fore-arm around hers, securing it tightly. Despite his maddening grin Tausha finally gave in to a grudging smile of her own before relenting in the tug-of-war.

As the realization dawned that they were smiling into each others eyes, faces practically touching, they nervously turned away. Almost in surprise they both found themselves staring at their arms and hands clasped together between them.   
"So does this mean we're friends again?" Tausha asked quietly.   
"I guess so." Raph replied "Just… promise you won't keep anything else from me, OK?" He waited anxiously as she chewed her lip in thought for a moment.   
"So long as that's a two-way deal, right?" Raph responded with a slow nod, wondering why she looked so nervous all of a sudden.   
"OK." she agreed, then giving an uncertain nod she continued "I'm not sure if you'd ever find out about this…" she coloured slightly "but, if you did it'd probably raise a few awkward questions, so I'll tell you about it now."

Raph fought a quick battle with himself to let go of her hand as she stood, unsure whether he really wanted to hear what she had to say. He waited where he was sat as she paced briefly, wondering how to start her explanation.   
"I think I told you already how Dad was really nice to me when I first came over and how we had dinner and stuff with Mr Oroku fairly regularly?" Raph nodded again.   
"Well…, after a few weeks Dad asked me what I thought of him. I didn't think much of it, and he was my Dads' boss, so I said I thought he was a nice guy. You know good businessman, blah, blah, blah. But Dad just kept going with it, asking me weird stuff like 'did I think he was handsome?' So I asked him 'why?' Dad got this real excited look on his face and told me he was going to try to arrange a marriage between us."   
"What did you say to that?" Raph asked in quiet horror. Tausha looked at him as if she were about to have him committed.   
"No."   
"And what did Hun say?"   
"He wasn't happy. That was the first time he beat me. When I came to…, I had…, this."

'Eyes out on stalks' was a saying Raph had always dismissed as an exaggeration, until now. He felt the need to blink to keep his eyes in their proper place as she yanked up her singlet. She didn't go so far as to expose her breasts completely, but it was clear as day she wasn't wearing a bra. Managing to focus he noticed a small mark to the left of her beast bone, the corner of it travelling a small way up the under-curve of her left breast. It was another tattoo, less than an inch across. A simple black outline of an insignia he recognised all too easily.

Tausha pulled the material back down, holding it in place with stiff arms as she coloured brilliantly in mortification.   
"Dad said that I owed my allegiance to him, and he to Saki. So this was to remind me of where my loyalties should be. That I should be honoured and… grateful if he agreed to…" she closed her eyes, swallowing thickly before she continued softly "if I were to give him a son it would be the start of a great dynasty... Damn it!" She stamped her foot in anger, Raph starting at the sudden change in her attitude.   
"What is it with boys, huh? I tried to explain that Karai would probably inherit just about everything anyway, but Dad was convinced if Saki had a son he would be favoured instead. What a friggin' crock! Girls can be just as capable as boys at just about everything, except maybe being wankers!"

Raph half-raised a finger to protest, then thought better of defending his gender for now as she stood stiff legged, clenched fists raised looking like she'd happily take on Tyson, and have a shot at winning with a dirty blow.   
"Arrgh! And how the hell does Dad think he'll get away with this kinda crap? I'm not some damn doll he can just pretty up and give away to whoever he feels like!" she had started pacing again, emphasising her words with sharp gestures.   
"I'm still just a kid for cruds' sake, and last time I checked the dark ages ended centuries ago! There is just no way in hell I'm gonna sit around in some little box waitin' for him to sell me off to one of his dodgy mates who'll just try to keep me in another 'pretty' little box. If he _ever_ managed to set me up with one of his no-good, slimy, drug-dealin', thievin', arsehole 'associates' I'd rip their friggin' head off before they touched me… or at least I'd die tryin'!"

She continued to pace, reduced to evil mutterings under her breath that Raph was kinda glad he couldn't quite catch. The determined edge to her tone had him worried she meant every word she said, and he felt his face go pale at the images that popped unbidden into his head. He started a little as Tausha stopped her movement abruptly to address him directly again.   
"Now you know why I was happy you guys put Saki away, but I don't get it? Dad said he went to jail, and you said he'd been put away too. But, on the news the other night they said he was dead. So what is the truth, huh?" Feeling nervous under her searching glare Raph tried to explain.   
"He is in jail, sort of. But where he is, there's no comin' back from." Taushas' brow furrowed, obviously not satisfied with his answer.   
"I'm not stupid. I know he had a fair bit of pull, so where could they have put him that he wouldn't be able to get out of, one way or another?"

Raph ducked his head as she scowled at his silence.   
"You made me a promise." she muttered darkly. With a growl he shot up to grab her roughly by the top of her arms making her gasp slightly, though she quickly pushed back against his grip, refusing to back down.   
"I know. But I'm also honour-bound not to let knowledge of some friends of ours become public. So you have to promise me that you won't repeat any of this to anyone. _Anyone._ Is that clear?"   
"I promise." she swore quietly. Accepting the earnest look in her eyes Raph tried to explain.   
"He's been exiled to an ice asteroid field in an uninhabited galaxy somewhere in the beta quadrant of the universe, as defined from the Utrom home world."

Silence.

"Huh?" Rolling his eyes Raph repeated his explanation.   
"What the hell does that mean? I'm telling you now; this is not a good time to jerk me around." Tausha warned, her dark look returning.   
"Saki was an alien. An Utrom called Ch'rell, actually. The 'man' you met was an exo-skeleton. Don't worry," he assured as her expression started to turn to one of dubious revulsion "he managed to fool everyone; even us for a good while. Anyway, the explosion at that party wasn't because of faulty fireworks. That's just the cover story, and him bein' dead is part of that too. The blast was caused by Saki trying to return to his home world on a rocket that took-off from underneath the floor. Luckily we managed to get on-board and stop him."   
"Why would he do that, hurt so many people so blatantly? And, if… if he was trying to leave, why didn't you just let him go?"   
"I don't think he intended to take-off from there. But, some… 'other' idiots blocked the tunnel the rocket was meant to exit by. And we couldn't let him return to his home world. We're sworn to act as guardians for the Utrom. The vast majority of 'em are really good guys. They don't believe in violence, only peace and knowledge. Guess every race has to have a bad egg though, and Saki took it too the extreme. He's guilty of doin' everything from mass genocide to jaywalkin' throughout the universe."

Raph felt her arms slump.   
"So he really was an alien?" she asked in quiet disbelief "What did he look like, actually I mean." Raph grimaced at the memory.   
"A kinda red brain with tentacles and a blue scar over his eye, a bit like his symbol." Tausha shivered.   
"He was gonna marry me off to an… evil brain-thing?" Raph found himself actually holding her upright as the colour fled her face. Her head lolled forward and he worried she was gonna puke. Hating to see her like this Raph tried to think of something, anything to comfort her.   
"I…, I don't think he knew. Hun, I mean." He bit back at the bile rising at having to defend one of his most hated foes. At least Tausha responded, looking up with pleading eyes that made his chest feel like it was in a clamp.   
"When he was escaping to the ship, Don knocked Saki out of his exo-suit. I remember Hun seemed shocked to see what he really was…"   
"Oh." she dropped her head again.

Realizing she wasn't going to support herself again any-time soon Raph pulled her close, resting her forehead on his right shoulder; relieving the strain to his arms as he curled the right about her waist, trying to comfort her with a rub to her shoulder with his other hand. Tentatively she responded, moving an arm under his to wrap her hand around the shoulder supporting her head. The palm of the other she braced against the top of his plastron, her fingers resting on his collar bone. Despite her trying to take deep breaths, the trembling he could feel through her whole body wasn't subsiding at all.   
"It's OK. Just let it go." he murmured by her ear.   
"No." she bit out with a determination that surprised him, almost as much as the fist she softly thumped against his chest.   
"I'm sick of cryin'. I can't let him win again…" Moving his hand up from her shoulder to gently turn her head, Raph looked her in the eye.   
"We won't let him win, ever." Relieved to see her attempt a grateful smile he used his thumb to tenderly wipe away the moisture pooling on her cheek...

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"Darn!" Leo tossed down his brush, scrunching up the paper to toss it with force at the bin already full of wasted pages. Usually concentrating on the brush-strokes for virtues he was hoping to attain helped with getting his mind focused on the goal, but tonight he just couldn't get the kanji for 'patience' right. With a disgusted sigh he hurriedly mopped up the precious ink that had been wasted in spatters across his desk, before he turned to glare in the direction of his pig-headed brother through his own bedroom door.

Sometimes he wondered how Raph and he could have grown up in the same family. Hadn't they both been there for Splinter's lessons on the best way to deal with problems? Didn't he realise the truth in those words 'a worry shared is a worry halved'? He still hadn't figured out why Raph had seemed annoyed with his family's attempts to comfort the girl, but he was sure it was related to the unease he felt. Glancing at his clock it confirmed that his brother had had almost an hour to contemplate tonight's events. Maybe, just maybe, he would be ready to talk. Resolutely Leo quickly tidied away his calligraphy set, firming his course of action in his mind as he did so.

Step outside. If Raphs' light was still on, and he was sure it would be, he had just one question. Why bother protecting the girl so strenuously, and risk getting his best friend off-side, if he was just going to ignore her again afterwards? With a determined nod to himself Leo put his simple plan into action.

He was right about the first point. He didn't bother knocking, knowing his brother would just impolitely tell him to go away, if he responded at all. Swiftly opening the door he halted in shock at the scene before him. For the briefest moment it had looked like Raph was hugging the girl, almost about to kiss her even. An instant later they were stood a foot apart. Tausha roughly knuckled her eyes whilst trying to look innocent, despite the slight colour that sprung up on her pale cheeks. Raph wasn't happy.

"What the hell d'ya think you're doin'? Haven't you ever heard of knocking first?" demanded Raph, clenching his fists in anticipation of doing some 'knocking' of his own.   
"What am I…? What are you doing? One minute it seems you couldn't care less about her; the next I catch you being… very 'friendly'. What the heck are you thinking, Raph?" Leo stepped further into the room, readying himself to force some sense into his brother. Alarmed Tausha stepped between them, a hand warding off each.   
"Wait. Don't be silly. Leo, believe me when I say that what you saw…, it's not what you think!"   
"No. Believe me when I say I don't believe _you_ at all." Leo emphasised his point with a jutting finger and accusing look. Before Tausha could respond Raph shouldered her aside to take a stand between her and his brother. The two turtles glared at each other for a moment before Raph addressed the girl over his shoulder, never breaking eye contact with his adversary.   
"Tau, go."   
"But…"   
"I said, go. I'll sort this out." With a nervous nod she edged her way past the two and slipped out the door.

"I don't understand what you're doing Raph." Leo stated in forced calm.   
"What the hell is you're problem, Leo? First you chew me out for not being compassionate, now you're shitty that I am?"   
"There's compassion, then there's stupidity. Why set yourself up for even more hurt? You know she is leaving soon. Chances are you will never see her again, so why not just leave it at being friends?"   
"We are 'just friends'." Raph gritted out menacingly.   
"Bull. I know what I saw."   
"And what was that, exactly?"   
"You were hugging her." Leo stated; case closed in his opinion.   
"Yep." Leo face-faulted at Raphs' frank admission, left searching for a rebuttal.   
"W…, Why?"   
"She was cryin', needed a shoulder to lean on. That's what compassion is all about, aint it?" Raph crossed his arms smugly; convinced he had the upper hand.

Shaking his head Leo quickly gathered his wits again; fixing his brother with a stern glare he presented another argument.   
"You were going to kiss her, weren't you." an accusation rather than a query.   
"And you're such an expert on this kinda stuff you could tell that for sure, huh?" Raph looked away as if disgusted that Leo didn't trust him.   
"For your information I wasn't. I was just wipin' her tears away." He lifted his head to glare defiantly at Leo again. Feeling on a roll he decided to push it a little, hoping to get Leo off his back over this once and for all.   
"Do you really think I'm so stupid I wouldn't learn from your mistakes? You can rest assured, dear brother, that I'm not about to get 'involved' with anyone linked to any of our enemies. I'm not _that_ much of an idiot." Despite the uncomfortable tightening in his gut Raph couldn't help a smirk as Leo closed his eyes, mouth and hands working in frustration. He'd obviously hit his mark.

Normally Leo would argue the point. He hadn't gotten 'involved' with Karai at all, and that was the truth. Heck he'd never even had a chance to really call her 'friend' let alone anything else. But he was sick of Raph throwing this crud in his face at every opportunity; Leo took a deep breath and tried a different tack.   
"Fine. I'm glad something good came from that mess. If you say you're just friends then that's fine too. But just be warned; if I ever see proof that she is trying to take it any further, setting you up for a fall, I will drag her butt back to her father without a second thought. Is that clear?" It was Raphs' turn to gape in shock.   
"You wouldn't, he'd practically kill her!" he muttered in disbelief.   
"I would."   
"You'd break the promise we made to help her?"   
"To protect you? Yep." Leo watched in grim satisfaction as a range of emotions flickered over Raphs' face. As he settled for self-righteous anger Leo interceded before he could speak.   
"Have you even considered the possibility that we are just delaying the inevitable? We can't hide her forever, which was never our deal anyway. She _will_ be leaving. And there is a very real chance she is going to end up back with Hun sooner or later, no matter what we do. It may even be in her best interests for it to be sooner." Unable to come up with a response for that Raph settled for growling,   
"Get the hell out of my room."

Satisfied that Raph may finally be starting to grasp the seriousness of the situation, and probably wasn't going to listen to much more anyway, Leo stepped back out into the alcove pulling his brothers' door shut behind him. He did a double take as he thought he caught a slight movement out of the corner of his eye, near the alcove entrance. Feeling suddenly drained, and more than ready for bed, he dismissed it as the usual play of light reflected off the pool below and headed straight to his room.


	22. Chapter 22

A/N: Sorry this one is late. Had a bit o' family fun (NOT) myself last week, so have knocked this chapter together over the past couple of days. This one is a little gooshy, a bit of quiet before the storm, so to speak. Anyway, apologies if it is not up to par. Feel free to let me know if it's not.

Disclaimer: I don't own the TMNT, or any related characters (much to their relief, I'm sure!) If there is anything else in this story you recognise from somewhere else, then I don't own that either.

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Something had changed, and Splinter wasn't sure what. Silence in the lair was always a warning that something was amiss, at least when his sons were conscious and in residence, and especially during meals. Breakfast was no exception. Not for the first time he found himself missing the close quarters of their old lair. There his sensitive hearing had alerted him not only to arguments behind closed doors, but often the details of the altercation.

At first he had been grateful for the extra space this new home afforded, and the relative privacy. His sons were maturing and deserved the opportunity to keep some things to themselves and to sort out their differences on their own, in Splinter's opinion. However, at times like this, being privy to what had occurred did make sorting out the mess a whole lot simpler!

Donatello, sat to his left, didn't seem to be involved. He kept his eyes downcast for the main part, as he usually did when there was tension. But apart from that he wasn't obviously uncomfortable, and conversation wasn't always his strength. Raphael, to his right, was desperately trying to appear engrossed with his cereal. That just made the frequent glances he gave to the far end of the table all the more obvious. Some were directed at Leo, angry glowers. Most, however, were for Tausha; similar to the furtive, searching queries she had been sending Raphaels' way during most of her stay.

Michelangelo was eating at a normal pace, for anyone else. He didn't appear upset with anybody in particular, more depressed. Usually able to win a smile from almost any situation, he seemed to have taken his inability to cheer up Tausha after Caseys' attack as a personal blow. It was Splinters' guess he was still recovering from it. Leonardo was busy ignoring the evil looks from his brother, whilst making a point of issuing a disapproving glare in response to each of the looks he caught Raphael giving to the girl.

As for Tausha, she was the only one that appeared completely relaxed, if a little tired. Whilst she hadn't gone out of her way to interact with anyone that morning, she clearly wasn't making an effort to ignore anybody either. She seemed almost oblivious to the silent messages flitting about the table, or too at peace with herself to care.   
"Yes." Splinter thought "'At peace with herself' seems to describe her attitude most accurately. Though it makes one wonder what has prompted the change?"

To Splinters' surprise Donatello was the first to speak.   
"Hey Tau, can I ask a favour? Could you help me put together a device I've been working on this afternoon? It shouldn't take long, but with your fingers to help it'll be even quicker."   
"Sure." Tausha agreed with a friendly smile, before turning back to her rice.   
"Um, I could use a bit of help from one of you guys as well, if anyone is free…?" Donatello asked of his brothers. Raphael opened his mouth to speak, only to be cut off.   
"Mikey? How about you?" queried Tausha with a hopeful look.   
"Me? Oh, um… I dunno Tau." Michelangelo shuffled bashfully in his seat "I was kinda planning on getting that poster finished today…"

"Oh." said Tausha, disappointed. Then, with an apologetic smile she reached across the table to gently grip Michelangelos' hand resting above his plate.   
"I was hoping to get a chance to make amends for last night. I know I didn't exactly respond very well, but I do appreciate what you tried to do."   
"Really? Heh, guess I just had an off night. Cheering up is usually what I do best!"   
"No. It's no fault of yours. But if I promise to laugh at all your jokes today will you forgive me?"   
"Hey babe." Michelangelo returned her grip with a grin "There's nothing to forgive."   
"How's this for a plan then? We help out Don first and then you can show me how you create your art. I'd really love to see it done, if you don't mind me watching."   
"Not at all! What's a great artist without his adoring audience, huh?" His grin fell a notch, but he gave an understanding nod none the less as she withdrew her fingers with a small apologetic shake of her own head, before he could flamboyantly kiss them. With interest Splinter noticed that both Leonardo and Raphael looked relieved at the course of events.

As the boys started to clear the table, Splinter approached to rest a light paw on Taushas' arm.   
"May we speak for a moment?" he asked gently.   
"Oh… Of course." she replied, following as he led the way to his room. The turtles watched in uneasy silence as their Masters' door slid shut.   
"You don't think she's in trouble, do you?" whispered Mike.   
"Nah." murmured Don, as much to break the stretched hush as give an assurance before they all continued with their task.

"Please, be seated. I merely wish to ask you a few questions." Splinter invited, kneeling on the opposite side of a small, low table set in the middle of the room. Feeling a little nervous Tausha managed to peel her eyes from the simple beauty of her surrounds, secretly hoping she'd get a chance to look closer at the prints and scripts that graced the walls, and the folding screen that was set between his futon and the rest of the room.

The wooden frames surrounding the three panels of the screen were ornately carved with Asian symbols down each side and in a plait design across the top and bottom. The image painted across the frosted panels was an odd mix of the simple brush-strokes reminiscent of Chinese paintings, depicting a pond and willow tree, and more detailed images of four small turtles swimming in the water whilst a rat relaxed on a stone at the water's edge.

"I see you like my divide." Splinter stated as Tausha knelt at the table.   
"I've never seen anything like it." she replied, sounding a little awed.   
"It is beautiful. It is also a reminder to me of what my sons can accomplish when they work together."   
"They made that?" Tausha took another look at the screen in disbelief.   
"Yes. They all found the materials and built it. Donatello and Raphael undertook the carving. Each strut features one of our names in kanji, the final one reads 'family'. Leonardo painted the surrounds and Michelangelo the figures."   
"Wow." Splinter gave a broad smile of pride before fixing the girl with a serious look.   
"In a way it is also a reminder of what we truly are. I do not think of my sons as different to me, or necessarily anyone else. But that can be a very dangerous trap if we forget our place in this world. I am interested though, as to how you see them."

"Oh." Tausha thought for a moment "I guess I see them as good friends. I don't mean any offence, but I'll admit I thought they looked a little weird at first. I don't think anyone can expect to see walking, talking turtles, or rats for that matter, and not be surprised." she decided to continue, despite Splinter giving a small chuckle.   
"I can see how it would be easy for you to forget that they are… 'different' though. Sometimes I have to remind myself that they're not just cool guys to hang out with."   
"Hmmm, indeed." Splinter took a minute to consider her answer, and his next query as Tausha sat in polite silence.   
"You appear to be very serene today. I am glad if you have found some inner-peace, but I'm also a little curious as to the cause after the events of last night."

After a deep breath Tausha met his level gaze.   
"I'm ready to go home. I wasn't too sure before, I know it's going to be dangerous and a lot of hard work. But I'm ready for it now. I don't belong here." After contemplating her answer Splinter queried gently,   
"You have come to this decision on your own? If you feel you have been harried into it by the actions of Leonardo or Casey…"   
"No. I know Leo doesn't trust me. I don't think I'd ever be able to change his mind on that. And I actually expected more reactions like Caseys'. I certainly don't enjoy it, but I can understand where they are both coming from. I realise what I represent to your family."   
"So what has settled your mind on this?" Splinter waited patiently as she chewed her lip in thought.   
"It's hard to explain… Something happened a few days ago that I wasn't expecting. It threw me a little and I leapt to an assumption about it. But I realised last night I… misinterpreted the meaning. I know exactly where I stand now. On top of that, I've been so homesick since I came to New York. All I want to do now is get home and get my life back on track. I feel that's where I need to be."

Splinter mused for a moment, almost tempted to ask what it was that had occurred a few days ago. Given she wasn't keen to go into detail, and that she had expected more hostile reactions, he decided she was referring to Raphaels' outburst upon discovering her fathers' identity.   
"So you have made amends with Raphael. You are friends once more?" he guessed at the reason for her calm.   
"Yes. I think we are back to being friends again, and I'm… grateful for that." Splinter succumbed to a relieved smile.   
"Yet you still wish to leave?"   
"Yes. The sooner the better really. It's gonna take a while to get the money together for a ticket home, so the earlier I get started…"

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"Cool!" enthused Mike with a welcoming grin as Tausha took the spot next to him at the end of the line.   
"This arrangement will only be for the next few days." Splinter warned "I have decided that Tausha will join us for at least part of our training each day, to ensure she is as fit as possible before we take her to Northampton on Tuesday."   
"Huh? Why Tuesday, Master?" Raph asked, trying not to make it sound like a demand.   
"That gives Tausha four days to regain some of her confidence and tone in the dojo. It also allows time for April to gather the supplies she has requested, plus an extra day to finalise our preparations or source anything that may have been forgotten."   
"Are we going to stay at the farm Sensei?" asked Don.   
"That, I will leave up to you, and Casey to decide. I do not see why Casey would have concerns with us staying there, if you wish, since Tausha will not. However it is his property; see that you gain his permission first."

Leo nodded in staunch agreement, Don hesitantly so. Raph crossed his arms with a dark look. Mike leaned over to whisper quickly in Taushas' ear.   
"Bummer dudette. We're gonna miss ya." Tausha didn't get a chance to respond with anything more than a smile, Splinter immediately starting the session with stretches and warm-up exercises. She was no stranger to the dojo, thanks to her fathers' insistence she be trained in Jujitsu as a kid. However, after the first two hours she wasn't sure if she were disappointed or relieved when Splinter sat her out before the real sparring began.

She tried to assure herself she was just a little out of shape after missing over a week of training, but an annoying little voice in her head pointed out the obvious fact she just wasn't up to par with these guys. Splinter didn't let her rest on her laurels for too long either… soon setting her up to practice with a punch-bag.

In the end she was immensely proud of the fact she could drag herself back up to stand after giving her finishing bow. Though she didn't fend Mike off as he wrapped a friendly arm about her shoulders to help her totter up the ramp, the step just wasn't gonna happen.   
"Hey babe, you ready for a busy afternoon helping out in the lab?" Mike half-teased.   
"Yeah." Tausha gave a weak laugh "Just don't ask me to lift anything, like my arms, OK?"

"Master?" Raph tentatively stopped Splinter before he left the mats "Can I skip my chores for today?"   
"Raphael. You were the one who suggested this punishment to make amends. Do you feel you have done so already?"   
"Uh… no. It's just that…" Splinter followed his sons' gaze to where Tausha was sitting at the table, getting self-massage tips from Don and Leo.   
"She is leaving soon?" Splinter finished for his son.   
"Um… yeah." Raph admitted sheepishly, trying not to fidget as Splinter seemed to take an interminable amount of time to ponder his request.   
"I believe you have learnt some valuable lessons this week. Tausha informed me that you are friends once more."   
"She did!"   
"Yes. It did take you a few days, but you managed to overcome your anger to do this, and that is a positive step. So I propose a compromise. If you finish _all_ of the laundry this afternoon, I will consider your punishment complete and allow you tomorrow afternoon to yourself. Since Tausha already has plans I doubt you would be able to spend much time with her today regardless."

Splinter tried to keep a straight face as Raph gurned a range of emotions, mainly revulsion at having to agree to the most hated chore in the lair. Everyone tried to avoid the rigmarole of having to hand-wash the towels; Splinter had always insisted the exercise was worth the trouble. However, he finally settled for a begrudging "Yeah…, Master."

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At lunch the next day Tausha was amazed she felt so good. She was tired and sore as heck, but another round of Splinters' recuperative tea and salve overnight had meant she was capable of movement in the morning, just. Splinter had shown no quarter during her second training session. Again she had been sat out of the sparring, more to her disappointment this time. But getting back into the rigorous exercise had quickly worked out the worst of the stiff twinges in her muscles.

The table top conversation had been dominated by a debate between Mike and Don regarding the value of using accurate scientific facts in movies. Tausha had found herself mediating, though she did favour Dons' arguments a little. As the meal finished they all agreed to a deep abiding hatred of 'Jimmy Neutron' and left it at that.

"So, speaking of movies, I was thinking the plan for this afternoon could be to see how many 'Jackie Chan' classics we can cram in before dinner. What d'ya think?" Mike invited Tausha with a sweep of his arm towards the couch and a huge grin. She was about to agree when she noticed Raphs' crestfallen look behind Mikes' shoulder. Stepping past her friend with an apologetic smile for his confused look she managed to grab Raph by the arm before he turned away.   
"Hey! What's wrong?"   
"Nuthin'"   
"Bull."

Raph shot her a glare at that, to which she merely raised an inquisitive eyebrow. Deciding to bite the bullet Raph gave the speech he had been mentally rehearsing as coolly and calmly as he could.   
"It was just that… I, uh… I kinda saw ya seemed… um, disappointed at bein' left out of the sparrin', and I was just wonderin' if ya'd… uh, like to, um… maybe… wanna…, spar with me?" He actually kicked himself in the back of the leg as Mike burst out in hysterics.   
"You can't be serious, dude! Don'cha think the poor girl's been through enough torture for today?"   
"Well, actually…" Tausha interceded quietly "it might not be such a bad idea. I suppose I do have to make the most of the next few days, and I have missed going one-on-one with… someone." Mike watched in astonishment as the two shared a hesitant smile. Throwing his arms up in resignation, a broad grin ruining the act, he admonished,   
"Alright! If that's the way ya want it, I'll be waiting for ya on the couch when you get sick of taking punishment and just wanna watch it instead. You can usually pick up the plot even if ya miss the first five minutes anyway!"

Thirty minutes later Tausha hit the mats heavily, again.   
"I'm OK." she breathlessly assured as Raph hauled her up with a worried look.   
"You right for another go?" he asked cautiously, keeping hold of her arm. She started to nod and then clutched her back as it protested strongly.   
"Oh…, maybe not. Sorry."   
"It's OK, you did good. Though next time I might not listen to ya when you tell me not to hold back…" He grinned at the sardonic grimace she responded with. He kept his grip on her arm to help her over to sit on the step, as far from where Leo was practicing his kata as possible.

"Man, I'm a mess." she complained as they relaxed.   
"Don't sweat it. You're still recovering, and I know the training we do is a bit more full-on than you're used to. Besides, I did used to pull my punches a bit when we were just sparring before, every now 'n' then anyway." Tausha rolled her eyes.   
"No dah! I figured _that_ out weeks ago."   
"Yeah?" he queried in mock-disbelief.   
"Yeah." she grudgingly admitted before joining in his conspiratorial smile; though Raph was a little taken aback when she quickly broke their eye contact to inspect the floor.

"Can I ask ya something?" Raph leaned forward to murmur in her ear.   
"Sure." Tausha shrugged.   
"D'ya think Leo talked Master Splinter into booting you so soon? 'Cos if that's the case I can have a go at talking to Sensei; maybe get him to change his mind…"   
"Nah. I asked to go actually."   
"Why?" Raph asked with a little apprehension. Tausha sighed.   
"Despite all the craziness we've been through I still think you're one of the best friends I've ever had, and I… I'm gonna miss you when I go. But, there's more to life than friendship, and I'm not gonna get very far just hiding out here. You know I've been home-sick for months. The sooner I can get my butt into gear earning some money, the sooner I can get back home, to school, something akin to normal again." She shrugged a second time.   
"Why put off the inevitable, huh? I'd like to keep in touch, though. Dunno, maybe we can be pen pals or something…" she trailed off with an awkward grin, Raphs' look confirming the ridiculousness of the notion.

Leo kept a surreptitious eye on the pair, whilst trying to appear absorbed in perfecting his moves. He'd been curious when they joined him in the dojo, albeit at the far end from where he was practicing. Then surprised at the vigour with which Raph had attacked, and the resilience Tausha had shown. She was obviously no match for his brother at the moment, but she didn't complain and lasted a lot longer than Leo had first expected.

Leo knew Raph could talk seriously when he wanted to, though it was usually to Splinter or Mike, and kept relatively private. But watching him chat quietly and earnestly, sat out in the open, it seemed natural in an odd sort of way. They both just looked almost… comfortable. Leo couldn't think of a better way to describe it; though he wasn't too surprised when they made their way over to the living room after a couple of minutes.   
"Hehe. Thought you were nuts, but I didn't pick you for a masochist!" teased Mike.   
"Yeah, well me hangin' out with you shoulda been your first clue!" Tausha shot back with a cheeky grin as she collapsed between the two brothers on the couch. Leo shook his head as he noticed Raph's scowl brighten to a smile during the exchange.

Mike managed to convince everyone that Tausha _had_ to try out Vinnie's Pizza at least once before she left. With the Saturday movie marathon showing the Terminator Saga they were all set for a lazy evening in front of the tube. Tausha relinquished her spot on the couch to Don, claiming the cool of the floor was soothing to her aches; she sat with her back against the arm of the sofa.

Hopping up after the first movie to grab more drinks Leo noticed Tausha had dozed off already, her head resting on Raphs' knee. Hidden between his leg and the arm of the couch Raph held a thick loop of hair pulled from her ponytail. Absently he was stroking the strands between thumb and fore-finger. Unsure for a moment what to do, Leo opted for grabbing the drinks first. By the time he got back he'd decided to let it slide. They were friends after-all, and the evening was too peaceful to wreck it with another argument.


	23. Chapter 23

A/N: Wacko! This is the longest chapter I've written for any fic yet, and I think that's saying a lot. (o.O)! This is what happens when I decide to end a chapter where I originally planned to, lol. Thanks once again to everyone who takes the time to review. Good, bad or ugly; all feedback is appreciated.

Disclaimer: I don't own the TMNT, or any related characters (much to their relief, I'm sure!) If there is anything else in this story you recognise from somewhere else, then I don't own that either.

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Tausha straightened after setting the tea pot on the table, to be grasped about the shoulders in a friendly one-armed hug from Mike.   
"So, how's our little sleeping beauty this morning?" Tausha beamed back.   
"G'day Mikey. Fine thank-y, ARGH!" she leapt back from the thin form that was wriggling it's way past Mike on the table. Clutching her hand to her chest she gaped aghast as she realised it was a plastic snake he'd fooled her with. Mikes' laughter was cut short however; as Raph forcibly whipped him round to face him.   
"What the hell do you think you're doing?" he snarled, Mike finding himself trapped with the table at his back.   
"Hey bro, chill. It was only a joke!"

To Mikes' relief, and Raphs' surprise, they were split up by Tausha shoving Raph back. Mikes' grin aborted as she snatched the plaything, holding it up to his face with a look that made him involuntarily clasp his tail and hands protectively over his butt. With a girly scream he tried to make a break for it, only to be thwarted by a well timed trip as he passed his brother. Mike pushed off from the ground as he hit it, managing to flip over onto his back just in time to cop Tausha landing heavily to sit astride his midriff. She didn't weigh enough to pin him, but the force was sufficient to shove the air from his lungs.

Instantly he had his arms up to block the punches he would have expected from any of his brothers. With an evil grin she slipped her hands up his sides, under his defences. Despite his flailing limbs and convulsions she managed to keep tickling till he stuttered,   
"S…s… stop! P… please STOP!" for the third time. Rolling to prop himself up on his elbow after she freed him, he managed to catch his breath. Looking up with a grin as she stood beside him, hands on hips, an expression on her face that mingled the odd combination of triumph and concern, he couldn't help himself.   
"Wow! You really are petrified of these things, huh?" The concern evaporated, leaving a dead pan in its wake.   
"If you'd grown up in a place where most of the stuff in your backyard could sting, bite or kill you, from the littlest bug to the _slimiest_ reptile, you'd know it's _not_ fear but a damn healthy respect!" With that she flung the toy on the ground in front of him and stalked off into the kitchen.

Sharing a grin Raph helped Mike back to his feet.   
"Hehehe, that was awesome!" Mike congratulated himself.   
"Yeah." agreed Raph before he yanked Mike beak to beak with a sudden menacing look "But if you ever scare her like that again I'll thump ya! Got it?"   
"OK, Ok. Peace dude. How about I make it up to ya?"   
"How?" Raph asked dubiously. With a smirk Mike held up a finger for patience.

"Hey, Tau! Over this way." Mike called to the girl as she left the kitchen with her breakfast. With a light scowl she decided to comply, eyeing him and his offering suspiciously as he pulled out the chair he usually sat on and invited her to sit with an elaborate bow.   
"My lady?"   
"What's wrong with it." she asked, her tone warning she wasn't in the mood for any more tricks.   
"Nothing!" Mike assured innocently "Unless you count having to sit next to this lug head!" as he shoved Raph into his seat by his shoulders.   
"Mikey." growled Raph ominously as he tried to stand.   
"Now, now bro. You just sit and relax. I'll have your brekkie for you in a jif!" Mike patted Raph condescendingly on the shoulder, succeeding in settling him in his seat, just as Tausha cautiously took hers.

"Hang on!" Tausha called before Mike could escape to the kitchen "Why are you fetching him breakfast?" Beaming Mike explained as he completed his journey walking backwards.   
"To stop him from killin' me for givin' you a scare."   
"Oh really?" she enquired sardonically of Raph as he had the decency to shuffle nervously.   
"Well it is a bit too early in the morning for that kinda thing…" he offered.   
"I see. So 'that kinda thing' is fine, just so long as you subject me to it in the middle of the night, huh?" Don chuckled at the sight of Raphs' sheepish grin as Tausha shook her head in resignation, though she did give in to a wry smile. The quiet broken by Leo's voice carrying from the kitchen.   
"Mike, you shouldn't need a tray to carry your meal. How do you expect to keep in shape eating that much?"

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While she did appreciate the disguise Tausha couldn't help scratching at the back of her neck as the rough material of the wigs' hair net rubbed the sensitive skin on her nape. Mike roughly screwing a cap on her head wasn't helping matters.   
"Enough already, let me do it." she bapped him away to settle the hat herself before attempting to return some semblance of order to the coarse, black shoulder length hair that didn't seem to want to sit flat.   
"Heh!" Mike stood back to appraise their efforts, settling his own overcoat in the process "Now you really do look like the 'Littlest Hobbo'!" giggling at the glare she shot his way.   
"Hmm, I always had a feeling these old items the boys used to play dress-ups with would come in useful again." smiled Splinter, seemingly ignorant of the discomfort his comment caused his sons.

"Yeah. Well, sorry Sensei, but we should get going. It's nearly one o'clock already." said Leo.   
"Are you ready?" he asked Tausha, holding up the blindfold.   
"Is that really necessary?" Raph asked shortly, despite her nod.   
"It was what we agreed." Leo and Tausha said in unison, one tersely, the other levelly. Once the bandage was in place Tausha felt both her hands grasped as two of the turtles led her to the elevator. From their good-byes to Splinter she figured it was Raph and Mike.

"You shouldn't have to do this." Raph muttered as he helped her with her seat belt.   
"It's OK. I don't mind it, really Raph." she whispered back, though she was grateful when he held her hand again after taking his own seat next to her. Starting to feel nervous about the possibility of having to face Casey she tried to give Raph a brave smile, hoping she was facing roughly the right spot despite her lack of sight, as she felt him squeeze her hand reassuringly.   
"What?" he demanded, making her start.   
"Nuthin'." Mike answered quietly "It just seems a shame Tau has to leave so soon."   
"Whatever." grumped Raph, though he didn't let go.

Not wanting to draw undue attention Leo removed the blindfold before they left the Battle-shell. However, he did ask Tausha to keep her eyes down. She found herself wedged shoulder to shoulder with Raph on one side, Leo the other as they waited in the alley for Don to return to signal the all clear. As soon as Don poked his head into the passage and beckoned they were moving. Tausha found herself whisked so quickly around the corner, into the lobby and through the door to the stairwell she barely had a chance to register any detail of the street regardless. Bringing up the rear Mike swiftly drew the door closed, blocking the view of the lobby.

Tausha blamed the climb up the seven flights of stairs for the slight tremble she felt. Though she was relieved they hadn't had to make it to the top floor, for the comfort of Raphs' hand resting lightly on the small of her back as they entered the apartment, and finally the opportunity to take off the darn wig and heavy coat! April greeted them all enthusiastically, with hugs for the guys. Casey seemed happy to see everyone as well, though his smile was a little too bright.   
"Hey big guy, you wanna grab some lunch with us?" Mike invited.   
"Nah. They're showin' a game I wanna watch on the tube."   
"Why don't ya come watch it on the big screen?" asked Raph.   
"Uh, well it's starting in just a minute, and I was just gonna veg in the bedroom. Let these two have their 'girlie day'. Just gotta fetch some snacks."   
"Hey April, you've got a new lap top!" exclaimed Don as he spied the machine on the kitchen table.   
"Yeah, work gave me an upgrade. You guys should check out the game I'm working on, though there is a glitch I just can't iron out at the moment."   
"Cool!" enthused Mike as they moved through the archway to check it out.

Hanging back in the living room Raph turned to Tausha.   
"You gonna be OK here?" She nodded uncertainly.   
"Yeah." she half-shrugged.   
"Look, Case may be an idiot sometimes, but I doubt he'd do anything to hurt ya. We'll be back to pick you up in a few hours, but if… if you need us to come by sooner or anything… take this." To her surprise he held out his Shell-cell.   
"You sure?"   
"Yeah." Cautiously she took the phone, gazing at it as she held it for a moment before tucking it carefully in the front pocket of her jeans. Looking up again they shared a smile.   
"Thank-you." she said quietly. Glad to see her happy, and willing to maintain the eye contact she'd seemed eager to break lately, Raph gave in to the urge to cup her cheek gently.   
"Just want you to feel safe." he murmured as he unwittingly moved closer, enjoying the smile that shone clearly in her eyes. The expression didn't quite make it to her mouth as she gently bit half her lower lip instead.

It gave him a small catch in his chest to see her do that, it always made her look so… innocently alluring? Though the catch tightened a notch as she relaxed the grip of her teeth, freeing the captive as their breath started to mingle. At the last moment she dropped her face slightly, hooding her eyes. Concerned Raph applied a gentle pressure under her jaw. She didn't resist at all, but the new emotion clear in her eyes as she met his again was enough to give him pause.

"…thanks Don!"   
"Anytime April." Leo had no idea what his brother had just explained, but the new game April was on the programming team for did look awesome. He'd been captivated by the few graphics she'd been able to show them, after all he'd always had a soft spot for the Wild West. It was high time someone made a strategy based there, in his opinion. A little reluctantly he patted Don on the shoulder.   
"Yeah, anytime. But right now we'd better make a move." Glancing round he realized someone wasn't in the kitchen.   
"Where's Ra…?" he almost jumped as Mike gave a loud clap.   
"Darn straight! Let's get this wagon train a movin'! I'm starving!"   
"Oh Mike! You scared the daylights out of me!" April admonished.   
"Yeah!" agreed Casey, cuffing Mike over the head.  
"Sorry guys…" giggled Mike, righting his hat. Shaking his head Leo led the way back into the living room, quickly spotting his missing brother stood a couple of feet away from Tausha. They both looked a little shaken, but he figured Mike had managed to startle them too.

"Catch ya later, babe." Mike gave Taushas' a shoulder a quick squeeze on his way past, managing to surreptitiously corral Raph towards the door.   
"We'll be back at six, OK?" Leo reminded.   
"Sure thing, Leo." assured April "We'll be fine." she continued, more to help coax a smile from the girl. With a weak wave and a smile to match Tausha bid her friends good-bye.   
"Come on." April gently urged her towards the kitchen with a friendly hand on her shoulder "Let's get something to eat. Then you can fill me in on all the gossip from the lair." With a small grin Tausha went along, hoping her relief that Casey headed straight to the bedroom to ensconce himself wasn't too obvious.

Starting back down the stairs Raph found himself lagging behind a little. He couldn't shake the image of that last look Tausha had given him before they'd both jumped at Mikes' racket. He couldn't figure it out. Why had she looked sort of unhappy, and…? Whatever else it was it gave him a horrid sinking feeling, like he was missing something here. Something obvious. Like the next step.   
"Not good!" he breathed as he toppled. Luckily his reflexes were working faster than his brain as he managed to right himself after a quick, awkward run down the next couple of steps. Still, he was grateful as Mike leapt back to grab him round the chest, steadying him further.

"Hello? Earth to Raphie!" Mike teased "You don't have anything ta worry about bro. Ape will smack Case down if he does anything stupid."   
"It's not that. I… just have a bad feeling is all." Stood on the platform below Leo mentally cringed as he watched his brother gaze back up the stairwell. His heart sank as he admitted to himself he'd failed; a second brother now. Despite all his warnings and efforts to prevent it, Raph was gonna miss this girl. And that meant he was gonna hurt. Not the relatively easily remedied and understandable kind of hurt that could be stitched or bandaged. It would be the undefinable, hollow ache that Lady Time always seemed to shove at the bottom of her 'to do' list when it came to healing. Even he didn't realize he was unconsciously fingering the scar on his side that was a little too long for his belt to cover completely, as he made his way up to his brothers.

Engrossed in their conversation they didn't seem acknowledge him. Raph didn't flinch as Leo wrapped a reassuring arm about his shoulder, on the opposite side from Mike.   
"Yeah? Well I've gotta bad feelin' too. It feels like my stomach's tryin' to eat itself! But d'ya know what I reckon we need?"   
"What?"   
"Do-nuts!"   
"You payin'?" Raph asked, sure he already knew the answer.   
"Oh man!" Mike lamented, patting himself down "I'm broke at the moment." He chuckled as Raph shoved him down a couple of steps with a rough noogie. Undeterred Mike popped up with a suggestion.   
"I know! How about a challenge? Last one to the bottom of the stairs pays!" Raph shared an evil grin with Leo before they grabbed their conniving brother, spinning him about to sit him heavily on the steps as they leapt past.   
"Sure thing!" Raph taunted as they all made their way down with far more noise than was necessary.

---------- ----------

"Here we go." April dumped a couple of shopping bags on the table after they'd cleared away the plates. Going through the contents quickly she checked with Tausha she hadn't forgotten anything.   
"Oh, and here's the rest of the cash." April fetched the notes out of her purse.   
"Wow!" exclaimed Tausha "You sure this is right?" she asked as she flicked through the bills. There was close to $200.00 in her hand.   
"Yep. Told ya those necklaces would fetch just over $100.00 each, and this lot didn't come to much."   
"Thanks so much for doing this for me. Here, take this for your trouble."   
"Don't be silly!" April waved away the note "It was my pleasure."   
"Well, only if you're sure?" again April waved away the offering.   
"It wasn't any bother, really." With a bashful smile of thanks Tausha went to tuck the money in her pocket, fishing around to fetch out something first.

"Can I ask you a favour?" she asked cautiously.   
"Of course." assured April. Tausha placed another of her necklaces on the table.   
"I don't think Splinter or the Turtles would accept anything for helping me out either, but I owe all those guys so much… Could you keep this one, just in case they ever need it?" April looked as though she wasn't going to agree for a moment, but then decided otherwise.   
"I'm sure they don't expect anything from you, helping people is just kinda what they do. But I know how you feel. Are you certain you can do without it though?"   
"Yeah, I've still got two more left for emergencies. Besides, in the big scheme of things 100 bucks doesn't go very far. This will probably just mean an extra week or so working before I can go home." April nodded as she picked up the chain, putting it in a jar kept on kitchen bench.   
"Ok. I figure the guys will probably keep in touch with you, as much as they can. If you do find you need it, just tell them to let me know."   
"Thanks."

"Now. Let's get on to the important stuff." April took her seat again, chin on hands with an avid look.   
"Who's your favourite turtle?"   
"Uh, oh…" Tausha flustered "Um…, I'm not really sure I have a favourite..." she hoped her cheeks didn't look as red as they felt.   
"Hmm, I guess you haven't had very long to get to know them…" April sighed in disappointment.   
"Who's your favourite?" It was April's turn to look a little uncomfortable.   
"I love 'em all, they're like brothers to me now. But…, you won't tell anyone this right?" Tausha nodded "I think I'd have to say Donnie's my favourite. We just have so much in common. It's not often I find someone I can talk computers with who isn't a conceited pain-in-the-neck!"   
"Heh, he is very sweet, and smart! I think he could use a bit more confidence though. Not that I'm gonna complain, it does make a nice change to talk to him when the others get a bit much!" April laughed in agreement.   
"I hear you there! I remember when I lived with 'em for a few weeks, I was so relieved when Casey would drop in. It gave me a break from the madness."   
"Huh? You guys met through the Turtles?"   
"Yeah. They didn't tell you? Typical!" rolling her eyes April started on her tale.

---------- ----------

"Hey!" Casey interrupted the giggles as he stood, arms crossed, in the kitchen doorway "You two seem to be having fun."   
"Oh, Casey!" April wiped a tear from her eye as she regained her composure "Yeah! It's so nice to have another girl to talk too without having to worry about keeping the guys secret." With a light scowl Casey considered for a moment.   
"Just so long as you're not laughin' at me as well… " April shook her head, though he missed the quick wink she gave Tausha.   
"Anyway, Raph just gave me a call. They're havin' some trouble with the truck, so I'll take ya back. Alright?"   
"Oh, uh sure." Tausha shrugged, trying to keep the smile on her face.   
"It can't be that late, is it?" April asked.   
"It's gone five thirty." Casey explained shortly.   
"Wow. Time does fly when you're having fun, huh?" April lamented lightly as she stood to help Tausha into her disguise.

Casey roughly dumped the plastic bags behind the seats of his Ute before he shoved an old cleaning rag at Tausha.   
"Uh, here. Get in then put this on will ya?" he ordered gruffly. It was the first thing he'd said since they'd left the apartment. Tausha couldn't find the courage to point out that a girl being driven around visibly blindfolded might attract some unwanted attention. Getting herself strapped in as fast as she could, since Casey was gunning the engine within moments, she managed to fit the material over her eyes just before the glare of the sun shone through as they shot out of the underground car park.

After a white-knuckled ride that surely didn't last as long as it seemed to, they came to an abrupt stop. Opening her eyes under the material Tausha was surprised she could see the reddish glow of sunset. Maybe it was coming in through a window; still she wondered why she hadn't noticed any sunlight at all in the warehouse earlier. She didn't move as she felt the vehicle shift as Casey hopped out, slamming his door. She heard him grab something out of the tray. The draft as he opened her side was fresh. She felt him fiddle with her belt buckle for a moment before he ordered her to get out and stay put next to the car. She realized they definitely were not in the warehouse, loose sand moved beneath her feet were she stood.

"Well, well! Isn't this a surprise? You're the last person I expected to see doin' me any favours." Tausha froze as she recognised the gravely voice, though it seemed to come from a fair distance.   
"Shove it! You're the one doin' me the favour, Hun. I just want to get rid of this little bitch. And it's about time you were forced to cough up some compensation for what you did to my Dads' store, and everythin' else!" Casey yelled back.   
"So, ah, how'd we do this then?" he demanded as an after thought. As Hun laughed the cloth over Taushas' face came loose of its own accord, slipping enough for her to gasp at the inhuman way Casey looked in a hockey mask. Cautiously she reached up to pull the material away completely, realising they were on a construction site surrounded by a high wooden fence and skyscrapers.

"Here's how we do this, moron. You send Tausha over here to grab these." Hun held up a couple of briefcases "And I'll let her bring 'em back to you."   
"No way, lame brain. I want the money first."   
"Alright. How about this then?" As Hun approached Casey shoved the flat end of his ice-hockey stick against Taushas' throat. Though she plastered herself back against the side of the Ute he didn't use enough pressure to even bruise. Unfazed Hun dumped the cases at the midpoint from where he'd first been stood and returned.   
"Now you bring the girl out here, get your money and let her go."

Cautiously Casey lowered the stick.   
"Alright." he agreed, grabbing Tausha by the arm to walk her out he was surprised to feel her trembling and dragging her feet slightly.   
"Come on." he urged her, taken aback as she looked into his mask with pleading eyes.   
"Just promise me two things." she murmured.   
"What?" Casey snapped impatiently.   
"You're gonna share that, with everyone." she nodded her head towards the cases they were approaching.   
"Of course!"   
"And you're gonna run as soon as you let me go."   
"Huh?" Casey glared at her in disbelief as they stopped next to their goal "What the hell d'ya mean by that? I'm no damn coward!"   
"Fine." somehow she'd found the strength to settle herself, her voice now level and deadly serious "But I'll give you fair warning, he's not gonna be happy. So the faster you can get outta here, the better."

Scowling at her nonsense Casey squatted to check his prize, giving a low whistle for the stacks of hundred dollar bills packed neatly in place. Standing again he gave her a pat on the head.   
"Well, run on back to Daddy now!" he grinned as he stooped to pick up the cases. He made a show of sauntering back to his car. Chucking the briefcases on the passenger seat he noticed the girl hadn't moved. Curious he decided to watch how this was gonna play out.   
"Tausha! Get here now." Hun commanded irately. Even stood a good ten meters in front of her father, she still looked small in comparison as she lifted her head in defiance.   
"No." she said simply, though it carried clearly on the early evening air.

"What?" Hun demanded with a menacing glare.   
"I'm leaving." Tausha explained calmly, still not moving from her spot. Casey had the definite feeling he didn't get the joke as Hun burst into laughter.   
"Oh really? And where the hell would you go? It's only taken a week to get you back here in New York. Do you know how many people go missing in this city without a trace every day? Yet you couldn't manage it. Besides, I have contacts in every bus, train and taxi company and in the neighbourhoods of every city and town across the States looking for you. Just how far do you think you're gonna get, even done up like that? Now stop being stupid and come here." He pointed brusquely to the ground before his feet.   
"No." Casey had to admit to himself that for a chick she definitely had balls as she didn't flinch in the face of an infuriated Hun stalking up to her.

She had no idea how, but Tausha managed to move her petrified legs just before her Fathers' fist closed on her throat. Ducking past she made a break for it, sprinting across the lot for all she was worth. Having Hun bellowing in quick pursuit was a great motivation. She was stopped short by something ploughing into her midriff with enough force to make her retch. She would have toppled face first over it if her father hadn't snatched her back by her hair, twisting her about to punch her in the face. Stunned she didn't think her next move, but her legs buckling made Hun lose his grip on her own hair under the wig. He roared again as she left him holding the hairpiece, quickly crawling between his legs to try another bolt.

Tausha barely managed to get to her feet before she felt hands gripping each of her arms. She screamed in panic realizing she couldn't see who, or what, was restraining her. She struggled wildly and managed to land one kick on what felt like a shin, its owner cursing but not loosening his grip as they roughly turned her about. The look on her fathers' face was enough to stop her struggling. Desperately she tried to go limp, knowing that would help lessen the inevitable damage coming her way. Hun cracked his knuckles with a triumphant smirk.   
"Right, you little harlot. It's high time you learnt once and for all not to make a fool out of me. Now you're gonna tell me who, where and what you've been up to these past few days." To her surprise he looked up to address… thin air?   
"And what are you lot waiting for? I want that scum…" he tipped his head in Caseys' direction "strung up by his thumbs before I'm finished here."   
"Sure thing, boss!" Tausha whipped her head about in amazement as she saw dozens of foot prints appearing in the dirt around them. She didn't bother to dwell on the phenomenon, her head jerking back again as her father landed his first blow on her temple.

As soon as he'd seen Tausha crumple over nothing Casey realised Hun had brought Foot-techs for back-up. Cursing himself for not realising sooner that Hun wouldn't have come alone, despite their earlier agreement over the phone, Casey had pelted around to the drivers' side of his Ute. He'd just swung himself into his seat, hand on the keys in the ignition, when he spotted Tausha held up by invisible goons whilst Hun got busy.

OK, so she was the daughter of his most hated enemy. OK, so he had enough money sitting next to him to make all his hopes become a reality and then some, all he had to do was gun it. OK, the minx had somehow tricked his best friends into trusting her. But hell, despite all that he just couldn't leave the kid to be pummelled into jelly, no matter how much he'd thought she'd deserved a similar fate before. Thumping the dash in frustration at his damn sense of chivalry, that was probably gonna get him killed right now, he grabbed up his golf bag from where he'd flung it on the passenger side floor.

Kicking open his door it almost trapped his leg as it forcibly bounced off something outside. The unmistakable slither of someone sliding unconscious down the metal panel warned him he wasn't alone. Kicking the door open again he managed to lean out far enough to grab the roll bar behind the cabin. Swinging himself round with a kick off from his side runner he leapt up onto the tray.   
"GOONGALA!" being able to spot the tell-tale footprints in the dirt from his vantage point Casey set to work practicing his hockey shots with the heads and shoulders of the foes surrounding his truck.

After he'd worked out his initial bout of anger with his itinerant daughter Hun started to concentrate his blows more strategically. After all, she wouldn't be able to answer his questions if she were unconscious. He waited till she regained her breath after his upper-cut to her gut.   
"Have you been with that vigilante all this time? Has he done anything to you?" Tausha shook her head weakly. Hun gripped her jaw to force her head up, making her meet his eyes.   
"You had better not be lying, 'cos I will find out if you are." he warned, surprised to see a small spark of defiance in her eyes.   
"I'm not gonna tell you anything." she managed to croak. Hun slapped her hard for her insolence, watching dispassionately as she slumped in the grasp of her guards.

He worked his fist in anger for a moment and then turned to see what all the commotion was about behind him. Rolling his eyes he realized Jones wasn't succumbing as planned, even with his punks having the advantage of being invisible. Deciding that getting Tausha to talk might need more time and privacy than he'd figured, he ordered the guards to hold her as he went to join the fray on the truck instead.

Tausha took the opportunity to relax and gather her wits as best she could. With her head dropped forward she realised she was focusing on an indent in the sand to her left. A fresh looking foot print, with one to match a few inches away. A crazy notion entered her head. At first she denied it, but when the guy stood on her other side loosened his grip with one hand to shift it she took the chance. Wrenching her right arm free she twisted, bringing her knee up where she estimated the crotch of her captor might be. She was wrong. He was shorter than she'd guessed. He gave a whimper she felt him slide down her leg to collapse on the ground, probably in the foetal position.

Before she could run the other guy lunged at her, his arms encircling hers, knocking her off balance as they toppled over his prone comrade. A sharp pain shot through her right shoulder, causing Tausha to cry out as she landed awkwardly, her opponents full weight crashing down on her. He quickly got up, yanking her up after him. She used the momentum he'd given her to shove him backwards, hoping to throw him off. By pure luck the metal pylon reverberated as he struck, and she guessed from the dip that appeared in the sand at its base that he was out for the count too.

Not taking this second chance for granted she scrambled to the far end of the lot, holding her dangling right arm to her side in an attempt to ease the pain. A heap of large metal tubes had been piled against the fence, and she quickly clambered up the make-shift steps they formed. Pausing at the top she risked a glance back at the truck. Casey wasn't doing so well now, he'd been knocked off his Ute and was wildly swinging a golf club about his head as he tried to rub dirt off his face.

She paused in indecision for a moment, knowing she wouldn't be much use even if she did go back. Deciding the distraction hopefully caused by her disappearance would be more help to Casey than anything she could physically do Tausha gritted her teeth and vaulted the top of the fence. Landing amid surprised pedestrians below, she gave a quick awkward grin by way of apology before wandering down the street, mingling with the crowd.


	24. Chapter 24

A/N: I know this is naughty –slaps self on wrist- but I've quoted a few lyrics from a song in this chapter. The song is 'Silence' by Delerium and if anybody takes exception to this detail then please just let me know and I will re-write it, with profuse apologies. Though I'm getting bored with just quoting song titles… and I confirmed the correct lyrics from a couple of freely accessible web sites! For those who are familiar with this tune, I have deliberately left the chorus out; Mike is basically talking over the top of it. That doesn't mean it has any less significance than the rest of the song in its entirety.

Disclaimer: I don't own the TMNT, or any related characters (much to their relief, I'm sure!) If there is anything else in this story you recognise from somewhere else, then I don't own that either.

------- -------

"Darn!" Leo cursed as a tune from his belt over-rode the engine noise.   
'_Give me release_  
_Witness me_  
_I am outside_  
_Give me peace_'   
"Dude, you have got to change your ring tone. You need some thing way more upbeat!" Mike earned a light frown from Leo. Trying to fish his Shell-cell out of his belt pocket, from under his coat, whilst driving, was distracting enough without running commentary.   
'_Passion choke the flower_  
_Until she cries no more'_  
"Got it!" Leo held up his prize triumphantly.  
"Chuck it here!" Raph practically demanded. Leo didn't argue, happy to toss the handset over his shoulder and return his attention to the road.

"He… Hello?" Raph asked hesitantly, scowling at Mikes' quirked eye ridge.   
"Raph? Is that you? I thought I called Leo…" Raph slumped in what he almost convinced himself was relief.   
"Yeah, Ape. It's me, Leo's drivin'. What's up?"   
"Could you tell Casey to pick up some milk on his way ho… Hang on. Leo's driving? In the van?"   
"Yeah!" Raph sarcastically confirmed the obvious.   
"Where to?"   
"Your place, of course! Sheesh!" Raph rubbed his fore head, wondering why April's IQ had suddenly dropped a few hundred points.   
"But… Casey said you'd said you couldn't get the van going… He left a little while ago, to drop Tau off to you guys."

Raph froze as dreaded possibilities paraded through his brain.   
"No." he whispered.   
"Yes." April insisted. Raph closed his eyes, but that just made the images clearer.   
"No." he moaned.   
"Yes." April was adamant, and starting to sound a little irate.   
"Why would Casey lie to me about something like tha…? Oh. He wouldn't… Raph, you don't think…?"   
"I'm gonna kill 'im."   
"Raph! Wai…!" Slamming the phone shut in his fist Raph launched himself as far over the back of Leos' chair as his seat belt would allow.   
"Leo! We have to get to Purple Dragon Headquarters. NOW!"

---------- ----------

"Eargh, bla!" Casey tried to clear the grit from his mouth, wiping his eyes clear of the muck in time to see Hun closing in.   
"FORE!" he tried to swing his golf club at his visible adversary's head, his blow ruined by an unseen punch to his ribs forcing him to involuntarily yank his arm back. A kick to the back of his legs had him on his knees, though he managed to strike backwards with the handle of his club, satisfied with the wheezing grunt that action caused.

He had pretty much always been good in a rumble, but he had learnt a thing or two from his friends. Securing the club across his back with the crooks of his arms he managed to swivel on one knee in a move Don would have been proud to see. It won him the chance to gain his feet once more, but he was starting to think reinforcements could come in handy right about now. Surely after all the times the Turtles had gone against the odds to fish him out of whatever mess he'd gotten himself into it wasn't to much to hope, pray, beg they'd somehow save his butt this time? Was it?

---------- ----------

"Calm down Raph!" Leo ordered in response to the back of his seat being thumped, again.   
"You shoulda just cut in front of that guy Leo! We don't have time to hang about! Damn it! Let me drive, will ya?"   
"NO!" the chorus from his three brothers elicited a growl and impressive string of curses.   
"We're headed the wrong way anyway." Don stated calmly from in front of the tracking computer "You need to take the next right Leo." He was curious as to why Raphs' signal was adjacent to Caseys' on the screen, but figuring there was enough for them to worry about right now, without Leo going nuts over what he would probably consider a security breach, he didn't bother to mention it just yet.

---------- ----------

Tausha walked down the busy street as calmly as she could, fighting the urge to run and hoping no-one would take any notice of her tousled hair, battered face or dangling right arm she was trying to hold still to her side with her left. This was New York right? There was weirder stuff than her on the streets every day. The people she passed seemed to agree, most ignoring her outright, a few shying away slightly. She was still wearing the old over-coat, so she figured she just looked like another homeless kid anyway.

Reaching the end of the block she hung back in the lee of the building, wondering which way to go. Where could she go? She wasn't even sure where she was, though from the size of the towers surrounding her she guessed somewhere in Manhattan. Deciding not to brave the brighter light and bustle of the intersection she swung left.

It was a clear night, with a chill breeze cutting through the streets. Walking directly into it Taushas' cheeks stung with the cold as she reached a narrow alley. Ducking in to escape the wind she rubbed her face, realising her situation wasn't being helped by the wetness on her cheeks. Tears of frustration joined those caused by the pain in her arm as she leant back against the grubby wall, feeling utterly alone.

After wallowing in self-pity for a moment she decided to pull herself together with a quick shake of her head to clear it. She wasn't sure just what had happened to her shoulder; just that it hurt like hell. Trying to figure out the extent of the damage she tentatively wriggled her fingers. That checked out OK, so gritting her teeth she gingerly pushed against her hip. Yep, that hurt. A lot. The problem seemed to be right at the joint, but whether it was broken or not, she couldn't tell. There was already a bit of swelling and it was too tender to touch directly.

Closing her eyes she concentrated on breathing whilst the pain of her investigations eased a little. Slowly she realised her hand was resting on something in her pocket where she had pushed against her hip. Confusion furrowed her brow for a moment before she gently clunked the back of her head against the wall.   
"Idiot!" she breathed in relief, the difficulty of trying to fish in her right pocket with her left hand not enough to wipe the smile from her face.

Pulling out the phone she managed to figure out the catch to open it fairly quickly. Then she was stymied. The buttons weren't set out like any other mobile she'd ever seen, and little white flecks here and there were testament to the characters that had long been rubbed off keys. The darkness of the alley wasn't helping matters, so she edged closer to the side walk.

Engrossed in pushing random buttons to see what reaction she'd get Tausha didn't pay much attention to the guy that wandered out of the alley after her. Her cry as he grabbed her back into the shadows by her damaged arm was cut short by the wicked knife tip she felt against her throat. His other hand quickly wrapped around her jaw, forcing her to turn her head to each side as he leered closer.   
"I knew it!" he rasped "You're that kid from the TV, the one that's worth big bucks!"   
"No!" Tausha desperately tried to deny, but the guy just laughed.   
"Looks like tonight is my lucky night!"

Roughly he clutched her about her shoulders with his arm holding the knife, causing her to hiss in pain. She daren't say a word as the sharp tip nudged against her throat again, though she could also feel the end of his thumb he was hiding the small blade beneath. He was much taller than her, his grip almost shoving her under his armpit as they moved toward the alley entrance.

The people on the sidewalk made an effort to ignore them; Tausha guessed they looked like two bums hugging as they walked. The smell from his jacket was nauseating, almost like it had been dragged through a sewer or something. Despite her situation a funny thought popped into Taushas' head. Hadn't she just been living in a sewer for a week? It occurred to her that despite the contents of the surrounding tunnels the lair had never smelt unpleasant. Neither did the Turtles or Splinter. A scent she hadn't appreciated before, like the musk healthy muscles always seemed to create mixed with a touch of sea salt, taunted her memory. What she would give to have him here now!

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Despite Leo stomping on the brake Raph kicked open the doors before they skidded to a halt, launching himself out with a feral battle cry. Worried their brothers' temper may actually put their friend in greater danger, the others followed in quick pursuit.   
"ARRGH! HUN! Don't you dare!" Raph bellowed, sprinting towards the pair. Casey managed to wrench his neck from Huns' grasp as his adversary looked up to motion with two short jabs of his hand towards the Turtles.   
"Iz 'bout time you guys made it." Casey managed to gurgle in relief before Hun punched him again.   
"GRR! Hun I'll kill ya if ya kill him! Yer both mi… URK!"   
"Darn! Foot-techs!" Don exclaimed as Raph landed heavily on his back, looking like he'd just been 'clothes-lined' by thin air.

"Keep alert guys! Don, you got any tricks?" Leo asked, dropping into a defensive stance as he watched Raph flip back onto his feet. From the evil snarl on his brothers' face, and the savagery he attacked the air around him with, Leo guessed the majority of their foes would be coming for the rest of them. Sudden punches from what felt like three different directions confirmed his guess, especially as Mike started trying to deflect blows as well. Don was already leaping back into the truck.

With the arrival of the Turtles Hun whipped his head around, wanting to check his daughter was well out of harms way. It took him a moment to realize she was gone.   
"What the…? How the…? Bitch!" Nothing else for it, he took his renewed anger out on Casey.

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"Stop cryin'!" the guy ordered Tausha with a harsh jerk of his arm about her shoulders; the pain causing more tears to spill down her face.   
"Is there a problem here?" Looking up Tausha was never more relieved to see a cop.   
"No officer, none at all." her captor assured brusquely, trying to quickly drag her past. His efforts foiled by the policeman grabbing his wrist, pulling it away from her neck.   
"Tch tch. What's this then?" the officer asked, spotting the knife "And who are you, young lady… Hey! You're that missing girl!" Tausha cringed as others on the street noticed the commotion.   
"She's mine! I got her first! The money belongs to me!" the guy from the alley made a grab for her again. She managed to leap back, only to come up hard against the chest of another guy who immediately caught her in a bear hug.

Chaos ensued as a mob coalesced from those on the street. The guy holding her got a punch in the jaw, letting her loose. For once she blessed the fact she was vertically deficient as she ducked through the crowd in a crouch. She was sure half her hair had been ripped out by those grasping at her, but with a dive through a pair of legs at the perimeter of the group she managed to leave the majority behind, too busy arguing with each other to realise she'd gone.

Adrenaline helping her to ignore the protests from her body she pelted down the street and ducked into the first alley she came across. Shouts from behind warned her she didn't have a great head start as she skidded to a halt by a man hole. Grunting in frustration she gave up the futile task of trying to lift the lid one handed as the pack filled the mouth of the passageway. She bolted down the narrow lane, managing to lose quite a few of her perusers in the twists and turns between the buildings.

One young man managed to make a grab for her coat. Tausha hardly broke stride as she swivelled to punch him, the phone still clutched in her hand acting as a handy little club. He fell back with the blow, overturning some bins that helped slow the others still following as Tausha shot down yet another siding. Again the yells let her know she wasn't safe yet; turning another corner she skidded to a halt. A fence barred the other end of the passage.

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Raph was practically foaming at the mouth in anger and frustration. All he wanted was to get to the two figures he could see in a fuzzy red hue. But these damn invisible bastards kept getting in his way! To make matters worse, somehow it had registered in his brain that Tau was nowhere to be seen.   
"This should do the trick!" Don exclaimed, jumping back out of the truck with something that looked like a small umbrella, sans material, turned inside out.   
"What is it?" Mike asked, managing to grab a hand that punched him and return the favour.   
"It's a sonic oscillator. I finally managed to identify the frequency these suits work…"   
"DON!" Leo and Raph yelled in unison.   
"Later." added Leo.   
"Dag!" grunted Raph as he savagely kicked at something he held at arms length.

Don was taken aback for a moment. Was that an insult, or what? He'd never heard Raph say that before. Putting it out of his mind he activated his gadget. Slowly the invisible fighters flickered into view as he pointed the transmitter towards them. Drawing his bo with his spare hand, Don leapt into the fray.   
"Yes!" Raph yelled triumphantly, launching himself on a group of thugs materializing nearby, relishing the opportunity to vent his frustration.

Once back-up arrived Casey found things a little easier, he quickly realised he was facing Hun one-on-one now at least. That had to be good, right? And the other goons starting to lose their camouflage was even better. Though it would have been nice if his friends had moved their damn butts a bit faster, given he was now on his knees too exhausted and battered to stand. He looked up to see Hun sneering over him, with his own golf club being raised to use his head for driving practice. Closing his eyes Casey waited for the inevitable 'CRUNK!'

Cracking open an eye Casey was curious why he hadn't felt anything. Maybe what they said about death not hurting was true. Nope. He managed to toss himself sideways just in time to stop himself being crushed under Huns' weight as the giant fell unconscious towards him. He was just as surprised to see his rescuer. Still holding onto the end of a length of heavy chain suspended from the metal framework above them, Tausha was spun about by the momentum she'd given the metal to be dumped unceremoniously on her butt in the dirt.   
"Thank crud!" shouted Raph in relief. Casey managed a grin as his best friend sprinted towards him.   
"I'm alright, really…" his smile fell as Raph leapt over is head to slide to a halt in front of the girl on his knees.

Both his sai dropped, practically forgotten, in the dirt Raph held a trembling hand to the gritty streaks down her bruised cheek. It was all he could do to stop himself scooping her up in a fierce hug, but it was obvious she was in pain. Despite that however, she managed to get to her own knees to throw an arm about his neck, burying her face in his shoulder with an odd sound Raph wasn't sure was sobbing or laughter. There was no mistaking her whimper though, as he gently tried to wrap his arms around her.

Leo had suspected the Foot-techs weren't actually ninja, but now they had lost their advantage it was plain they were nothing but common street thugs. It was only a matter of minutes before the lot of them were subdued. Leo stopped by Casey for a moment to check he was OK. He'd taken a good beating, but he'd recovered fine from similar punishment in the past. Helping his friend to his feet they both made their way over to where the others were gathered about Tausha.

She was still clung to Raph, her grip tightening as Don manipulated her shoulder. Mike was kneeling beside them, giving her a consoling rub on the back. All three looked up as Leo approached.   
"She's hurt, Leo." Mike stated the obvious; from the look on his face anyone who didn't know better would have thought Tausha was terminal. Raph just seemed lost, quickly dropping his gaze to return to whispering in the girls' ear. Tausha didn't acknowledge anything at all, most of her face still hidden behind the collar of Raphs' coat where she'd nuzzled the material aside to lean against the crook of his neck.

"It's completely dislocated." Don reported on his examination "But I don't think the bone's fractured. It's best we pop it back in as soon as possible though." Nodding in agreement Leo moved to stand behind Raph.   
"This way?" he asked Don.   
"Yep, up on a 45 degree angle I think would be best."   
"Brace yourself Raph." Leo warned, gently picking up Tausha's limp arm.   
"It's alright. I've got ya. I've got ya…" he heard Raph sooth over her moan. Propping a foot against his brothers' shell Leo gave a short, hard tug, feeling more than hearing the 'crunch' as the ball of the joint settled back into its' socket. Tausha muffled her scream against Raphs' coat then slumped, almost in a faint; though she squeaked as Dons' fingers went back to work before he gave Leo a 'thumbs up'.

An approaching police siren and some sort of commotion coming from behind the rear fence put Leo on edge.   
"C'mon guys, time to move. Mike, you right to drive Casey back to the lair?"   
"Sure thing, Leo."   
"Good. Raph, Don get her to the Battle-shell." As the group started moving Leo scooped Raphs' sai and Shell-cell out of the dirt, wondering how his brother had managed to drop his phone too. With a quick look around to check nothing else was in danger of being left behind he spotted black strands blowing in the breeze a short distance away. Walking over he rescued the wig, giving it a gentle brushing down before tucking it through his belt.

He quickly caught up with the others as they paused beside Huns' still form.   
"Ya know, we should take advantage of this and get rid of that slime once and for all!" Casey scowled. After glancing at the bruised face of the girl he supported Raph glared at his friend, Casey figuring all the anger in his look was for Hun.   
"Damn straight! I'm not gonna let him get away with this. Leo, give me a sai." Despite the evil glare it earned him Leo shook his head.   
"It's not honourable to strike a hapless opponent Raph."   
"Do you think I give a shit? Do you think he gave Tau a chance to fight back? Besides, he'd do the same ta us. Now give me a damn sai!" Given the determination set in Raphs' jaw Leo was afraid he'd follow through with his threat, weapon or no. It wouldn't be difficult for him to break Huns' neck bare-handed. Leo decided to take a chance.   
"And what about Tausha, Raph?"

"C'mon Leo. The way he was hoein' into her, I'm sure she'd be glad to be rid of 'im too!" Casey assured. Raph nodded, but still turned to the girl for approval.   
"I… know you've sworn to… kill each other. I…, Please… just make it quick." she murmured weakly, though the look in her eyes seemed so sad.   
"See?" exclaimed Casey, snatching a sai out of Leos' hand "She's fine with it."   
"No." Raph grabbed his sleeve before looking up from Tausha's face.   
"We can't. Not like this. Not in front of her."   
"But…!" Raph jerked Caseys' arm with enough force to bring him nose to beak.   
"I said, 'no'." Taking advantage of his friends' proximity, Raph landed a solid punch to Caseys' jaw, Mike catching him before he hit the dirt.   
"And that was for dragging her here in the first place. Moron." Casey shook his head to clear the stars from his vision as Mike stood him back up.   
"What the…?"   
"Hey. You deserved that, dude. Just be glad you didn't get worse!"

Raph didn't unclench his fist as they set off for the Battle-shell again.   
"You did the right thing." Don assured softly. With a frustrated growl Raph glared at his brother, his snarl softening as Tausha gave him a small hesitant, but relieved smile.   
"Thank you." she whispered. With a nod Raph felt himself start to relax a little as she rested her head on his shoulder. Glad to have her close and safe he leaned his cheek against her hair.

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A/N 2: Think I may be walking a fine line with the end of this chapter. I know some will disagree with it. There are a few precedents in the new toon for this kinda situation (it's not as obvious, but Angel stops Case making a similar mistake in 'Fallen Angel'), and when emotions are running high sense is often an early casualty.

I'd also like to point out that even in Japanese culture Honour is not a black and white concept. It is more a general grouping of principles open to individual interpretation. This idea probably runs a bit 'deeper' in my fics than in the toon, but I've always thought of Leo sticking to a very austere version of the precepts of honour, whilst Raph would be more inclined to adapt them as a situation dictates. Here he is weighing up the difference between his need to protect those he cares for, as opposed to his keeping is own conscience clear about how to go about achieving that goal; though he does realize that his actions may have greater implications than just freeing them from a long-time enemy. Nice little patch of greyishness!

Anywho, as per usual, if you think it does step over the line feel free to let me know. I'm always happy to listen to a different opinion. I'm half-way through writing the next chapter, so with a bit o' luck I'll get that up in the next few days. Caseys' motives for what he's done will (hopefully) become a little clearer in that one!

BTW, if anyone is curious about some of the Aussie slang being used in this fic a good web site to check out is www (dot) australianexplorer (dot) com (/) slang (/).


	25. Chapter 25

Disclaimer: I don't own the TMNT, or any related characters (much to their relief, I'm sure!) If there is anything else in this story you recognise from somewhere else, then I don't own that either.

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One side of the Battle-shell interior was dominated by various screens and consoles, with two swivel chairs set in front of them. The other side boasted a third swivel chair behind the drivers' seat, and a bench seat set in an alcove in the wall; though this was usually blocked by the Shell-cycle. For once Raph was glad he'd left his bike at home, settling Tausha next to him on the bench. The poor girl seemed exhausted as Don finished tying off a sling to support her swollen arm, Raph happy to act as a pillow as she snuggled against his neck.

Jumping in the back after making sure Mike and Casey got off safely, Leo frowned at the sight of his brother lounging back against the alcove corner, arms wrapped about the girl who was plastered up his side. But given the evil look he got in return he decided time was too short to start an argument just now. They had to get moving before either Hun, or his cronies recovered, or someone else spotted them. Noticing Don had used the large bandage for the sling Leo gave a frustrated sigh.   
"Great! What are we gonna use for a blindfold now?" Before Raph could put his grimace into undoubtedly foul words Don interceded.   
"I don't think it's an issue, Leo. I doubt information gathering is a high priority for her at the moment." Since Tausha already seemed to be dozing Leo stalked to the front, taking the drivers' seat with a light scowl for Don already sat on the passenger side.   
"Fine." he grumped, pulling on his belt with more force than necessary.

Raph was grateful to Don for taking the passenger seat, and for him staring fixedly out the window as he reported to Splinter on his Shell-cell. He was sure Leos' view would be blocked by the alcove wall, not that he cared too much. But it did give some semblance of privacy and that helped quell a small portion of the nervousness he was starting to feel. He was sure a lot of it was just reaction to the evenings' events. The thought of how close he'd come to losing Tau making him grip her even tighter. In response she nuzzled against him, and that sent more butterflies careening around his stomach.

Burying his nose in her hair he closed his eyes as he relished her scent, still recognisable despite the dust. He opened them, almost in surprise, as he realised he was pressing a light kiss to her temple. Feeling her tense slightly he broke the contact. When she didn't move or say a word he managed to gather the courage to press a tentative kiss to the top of her cheek. She sighed slightly as he pulled away again. Bolder, he moved down the line of her jaw for his next touch, his chest tightening as he felt her lips against his cheek in a timid peck of her own.

Gently he pushed her head back on his shoulder using a light nudge with his beak, gaining the chance to press his lips to the corner of her mouth; Tausha sighing once more at the contact. Their breath mingled for a moment as she tilted her head. Raph swallowed thickly before closing in, only to have her turn away with a perturbed groan.   
"I'm sorry. I'm just not sure this is a good idea…" Concerned Raph cupped her face with his hand, making her face him again. A painful clamp set on his chest as he saw that weird emotion in her eyes again. It was almost like… fear? Of him?   
"I'd never hurt you." he murmured earnestly. Reluctantly she turned to bury her face against his shoulder.   
"You already have." she whispered. The constriction spread to Raphs' throat as a range of thoughts charged through his brain.   
'Huh? What? How? When? Who? If? …Shit.'

They sat in a tense, awkward silence as long minutes dragged by; Raph occasionally working his jaw in a vain attempt to say something. But his brain and throat conspired against him in his struggle to articulate a constructive sentence. To his surprise Tausha broke the impasse, tightening the hug she was giving him with her good arm.   
"You're my best friend, Raph. I don't want to lose that." she said quietly. Raph rested his head back against the cool of the metal wall, hoping it would help to ease his confusion. Having her snug against him certainly didn't see to be, until an unexpectedly coherent thought coalesced from the white noise in his mind.   
'You're a five foot mutant freak. You gonna ruin what ya got, 'cos ya can't get what ya want?' With a sigh he squeezed her close, managing to force a croak past the knot in his throat.   
"You won't."

---------- ----------

"Oh my, you guys look a mess! Tau! What happened to you?" April didn't waste any time with pleasantries as she swept into the lair. Her first point of call was the couch, 'tching' and apologising over Taushas' arm and face, a black eye Don had coming on and a nasty scrape down Raphs' calf. Despite their assurances that they were fine and none of their injuries were her fault, it took Splinter to shoo April away claiming he needed a little space to apply his salves and medications.

Making her way over to the others sat about the table she pointedly ignored Casey as she fussed over Mike and Leos' injuries. After a few minutes she peeled Mike off to finally confront her very nervous looking boyfriend.   
"And you!" she sighed heavily before smacking him sharply over the head, though she tried to hit a spot that wasn't too bruised already.   
"What the heck were you thinking?" Casey tried a placating smile from under the hand he'd raised too late to defend himself.   
"Hey babe…"   
"Don't you 'hey babe' me, mister!" April admonished, hands on hips "What's worth doing _this_ to one of _my_ friends, huh?"   
"Uh, this." Casey opened one of the briefcases sat on the table next to him. April did a quick double-take then scowled again, forcing Casey to cower in his seat.

"You can be an insensitive idiot, Casey Jones. But I never thought you'd be so stupid and callous as to sell out a friend! I know that's a lot of money. But we're happy and we have our health, good friends and family. What do we really need it for?"   
"Well, you've only met her a coupla times. I didn't think she was that good a friend…" from Aprils' glare Casey realized that wasn't a good tack "and, uh, I didn't know that Hun was gonna hurt her."   
"We told you he beat her, dude." Mike interjected.   
"Yeah, but I thought she was cryin' foul about a few smacks on the bum or somethin'… not that he'd string her up and use her as a punch bag!"   
"You still haven't answered my question." April reminded in a menacing tone, crossing her arms.

"Oh…, ah…" Casey stalled, desperately racking his brain for an answer that wouldn't see him banned to the couch for eternity.   
"It's gonna make all our lives heaps easier…" Aprils' frown deepened.   
"And, ah, I did it for you. I wanted to get ya the place, car, clothes, jewels and stuff ya deserve." April started tapping her foot. Casey tried his best lost puppy look.   
"You're a top class babe. I'm just a working class boob who's never gonna earn the kinda money we'd need to get all that kinda stuff anytime soon."   
"And why do we _need_ 'that kinda stuff' soon? I'd rather work for it and appreciate it for being earned. There's nothing we absolutely need in the near future."   
"Yeah, there is!" Casey blurted before shuffling nervously.   
"Like what?" April asked.   
"Ah…, it's kinda secret…"   
"Like what?" demanded April.

Casey squirmed as April glowered over the top of him.   
"I wanted to surprise ya…, and I didn't wanna lose out for waiting too long. But this was the only way I could get the money, or get enough to do a really good shin-dig. Something fancy that's worthy of ya…" he trailed off as April crouched to his eye-level, her face pale instead of angry.   
"Are you saying you were going to…?" she faltered as he gave a small nod "Oh. Why did you think you were waiting too long?" she asked quietly. The remainder of Caseys' face turned a hue to match the bruises covering most of it.   
"There was this mag on you're bed-side table a couple a months ago. You'd left it open on this page 'bout losers who string chicks along. They said that if ya live with a guy for a year and he doesn't ask ya, then ya should start lookin' elsewhere. I know you c'n do heaps better'n me, so if ya do go lookin'… I haven't got a chance."   
"Oh Casey! You _are_ an idiot!" April admonished before grabbing him in a suffocating hug.

Casey quickly turned an odd shade of purple before April released his neck.   
"I think we need to talk. Um…, in private." she murmured.   
"Uh-huh." was all Casey was able to find the breath to respond with as she dragged him into the kitchen.   
"What was _that_ all about?" Mike queried, with a cheeky gleam in his eye. Though he had a pretty good idea Leo just shrugged. Not to be deterred Mike continued a little more seriously.   
"Do you think they're gonna be alright?"   
"What will be, will be." assured Splinter "However, April was right. Some things should remain private. I do not wish to hear any fuss about this, until 'if and when' they are ready to share it."   
"I've got no friggin' idea what 'it' is! One minute she's pissed, the next she's all over 'im. What's the deal with that? Chicks are just weird." grumped Raph from the couch. Three sets of curious eyes turned to check the response of the girl sat next to him. Don seemed oblivious, busily hunched over something Leo guessed was a remote.

Taushas' cheeks coloured slightly, and to Mikes' surprise she didn't bap his brother. She never hit hard, but he'd found out the hard way she could flick her hand pretty darn fast if he took a comment too far.   
"I suppose it's kinda sweet, in a way." she started quietly "He just wanted to prove his love for her."   
"What's there to prove? Everyone knows he loves her, for cruds' sake!"   
"Damn it!" Don cursed quietly as half of whatever he was working on fell and scattered across the floor. Quickly he gathered up the bits, moving over to dump the handful on the table before setting back to work. Leo decided a change of topic was in order.   
"Do you think Casey would let us buy Tau a ticket home?"

Mike looked aghast. Don slowly stopped his tinkering, but didn't look up from the table-top. Raph was staring fixedly at the dark screens in front of him. Tausha seemed to gaze at nothing for a moment too, before giving Leo a small smile.   
"I don't see why that would present a problem." Splinter broke the odd quiet.   
"But she can stay, till she's better, right?" petitioned Mike.   
"The money belongs to Casey. It will be his decision when and what to spend it on." Splinter stated.   
"But…, he said it was gonna help all of us. Doesn't that mean we get a say?" Mike eyes suddenly widened "Man, with this kinda moolah we can really have some fun! If Tau stays a while it could be like a holiday or something, before she has to head home. You know, we could all take a break for a few weeks. We could get take-out every night, rent every movie we ever wanted to watch, get an X-box 360, all the Spiderman back issues…"

Don could _feel_ Leo rolling his eyes as he moved to stand next to where Don was leaning on the table. He was grateful for his brothers' solidarity, and silence. The jumbled ex-remote was forgotten. Don couldn't help gawking at the pool of green next to him. The clear plastic banding on the stacks made each note plain to see. It felt like every Ben Franklin was laughing at his stupidity. Why hadn't he said anything before it was too late? Would it have mattered, or made things worse? Probably. And why get upset now? He'd known he'd missed any miniscule chance he may have had months ago. It was just a stupid crush, he should have put it behind him by now…

Suddenly inexplicably annoyed with his fellow inventor, Don pulled out one of the bundles to turn it over; wanting to stop at least one mocking face. It was no use, another turned up on the underside. Trying a second time he got the same result.   
"What is it Don?" Leo queried softly. Don didn't answer, pulling over the second case to open it. Again, no images of the Independence Hall, only faces atop each bundle. Again two stacks revealed the same picture on the underside of the bottom note.

"…Harley each, our own yacht. Heh! Bet, no-one would think of looking for us at sea! Hey! What about our own island?"   
"Michelangelo. Quiet." Splinter instructed levelly as he approached. Don broke the band holding the last bundle he'd removed. Taking the top dozen notes he splayed them out like a fan. All displayed the same picture, even when he flipped them.   
"Hah!" Mike laughed "That was a neat trick Don! How'd ya do that?" Sharing a knowing look with Don, Leo took the end note from the fan and handed it to Mike who grabbed it enthusiastically, quickly flipping it over for himself to figure out the knack.   
"Hey! I can do it too! Uh…, hang on… it's got the same guy on both sides. Shouldn't it have something different?"

"What's up?" asked Raph as he joined them, leaving Tau on the couch. Leo handed him another note.   
"Shiiiit. It's fake?"   
"Raphael. Language."   
"Sorry Sensei. But, Casey is gonna be pis…, uh, annoyed."   
"All of it?" Mike lamented.   
"Why would Hun mix real money in with counterfeit, Mike?" Leo asked with light sarcasm. Mike shrugged.   
"I dunno. To mess with our heads?" his eyes widened in horror as another thought occurred.   
"Who's gonna tell Case?" he whispered, hoping it wouldn't be him for asking! Raph couldn't stop the evil grin invading his face.   
"Me."

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"WAAAHH!" Casey was through punching, ripping and tossing the paper about and settled down to bawling on his crossed arms amid the remnants on the table; April lightly patting his shoulder. Mike was failing at being discrete as he picked the still intact notes off the floor; checking each one carefully, just in case.

Leo didn't bother telling Mike to stop, at least it meant a little less tidying to be done later. That certainly wasn't a high priority just yet; for now he was perched on the coffee table in front of Splinter in his armchair, the rest of the group filling the couch. They all seemed to be in various states of shock, only Splinter had had anything to say.   
"It is true. What goes around; comes around." Though Raph still had a wry uptilt to one corner of his mouth, and Tau was covering her face with her hand.

"You OK?" Raph enquired as he heard her sniff. She didn't move her hand as she nodded.   
"Yeah." she sighed "I'm… sorry. I'm so sorry…"   
"For what?" asked Raph, a little shortly.   
"For this… what my Dad's done. You must all be so disappointed…"   
"Tausha…" Splinter started kindly.   
"You're bein' stupid." Raph finished bluntly, pulling her hand away from her face.   
"Hey." he leaned forward to get her attention as she quickly dropped her gaze to the floor "It's not your fault."

Despite her little nod Raph didn't buy that she believed him. With an irate sigh he gently but firmly tugged her upright, tucking her good arm behind his back before capturing her head and pulling it onto his shoulder.   
"It's not. OK?" he accentuated each word with a squeeze of his arm clamped round her cranium.   
"uh, uh, UH! OK! Ok." Tausha relented with a light frown; though it lifted quickly as Raph felt her finger tips brush his opposite hip where she gripped the edge of his shell.

Though he eased off the pressure on her head, he left his arm in place; careful not to put any pressure on her wounded shoulder. They may not be snuggled as closely as they had been in the van, but it was still nice without the heavy material of the coats in the way. Ignoring the little voice in the back of his mind that was muttering it _could_ be a lot nicer still; he figured that if this was as good as he was gonna get, he was gonna take full advantage of it while he could get it! After all, it wasn't like there was a line of girls beating down his door to give him a hug.

Leo scowled lightly, mentally kicking himself for not saying anything when he'd seen them locked together in the truck. He was sure Raph wasn't holding her as close to annoy him. But if he stepped in now Raph would just throw his previous 'acceptance' of their closer embrace in his face.   
"So I suppose we have to change our plans slightly. Tau, do you think you'll be ready to go by next Sunday? If we drive up to Northampton that evening we'll miss the worst of the traffic. So it should make for a smoother journey."

To his surprise Tausha went pale, her eyes going wide. She seemed to fight an internal battle before finally succumbing to a weak nod.   
"Good. Oh, that reminds me…, Casey?" Leo wandered over to his distraught friend who was slowly pulling himself back together.   
"Do you mind if we stay at your farm for a few days, just while Tau gets settled?"   
"Huh?" Casey looked up after roughly wiping his face on his sleeve "Why ya movin' her to the farm?"   
"We're not…" Leo outlined what they planned to do. He was taken aback as Casey mirrored Taushas' earlier wide eyed expression.

"You can't be serious!" Casey exclaimed "Hun'll find her for sure!"   
"We don't really have any other options, Casey." reasoned Leo.   
"No. You guys don't understand! Hun's got people lookin' for her everywhere. And I mean 'everywhere'; right across the States. He said so himself. Even somewhere like Northampton, you send her out there to work; you may as well just send her back ta him on a silver platter!"   
"You've changed your tune!" Raph derided.   
"Yeah? Well, she did kinda save my bacon back there… guess I'm just returnin' the favour." mumbled Casey defensively.

"She could stay with us…" Mike quietly proposed.   
"Yeah! This'd be the last place Hun'd find her!" agreed Casey, missing Leos' frown completely. Tausha saved him the argument.   
"No. I need to go home. I can't explain it. I know my family aren't really there anymore. But, it's where I belong… I know it's gonna take some time; and I'm willing to take a few risks, whatever it takes actually. It's just something I need to do."

Splinter broke the ensuing quiet.   
"Casey, why would Hun tell you he had people searching for Tausha?"   
"He didn't tell me. He told her when she said she was leavin'. He started carryin' on 'bout how he had guys in every town and transport company keepin' an eye out for her. And with his clout I don't doubt it!" Leo was surprised to see Don break out of his reverie to join the conversation.   
"You know there is a common conjecture, called domestic blindness. It basically theorises that people often overlook things that are in plain sight, just because they don't expect to see them there."   
"Dude, she's not a set of car keys." put in Mike.   
"No. But if Hun has got people on the look out everywhere else, he obviously doesn't expect to find Tau here; in New York. And that may be more the case now that she's told him she was going to leave. It may well be that this is the safest place for her to stay, Leo."

"I don't know." Tausha sat up, pulling her arm from behind Raph to rub her forehead "I was recognised pretty quickly here…" she went on to describe her venture around the block before her return to the construction site.   
"So?" Casey stated bluntly "You're just gonna have to find a job where people don't see ya face. Reckon you'd have to do that pretty much anywhere ya went anyway!" He shrugged at the incredulous looks he got from all.   
"Well, it's true!" he defended.   
"I kinda suppose it… is." murmured April; her brow furrowed in concentration over how to solve the dilemma.   
"So, we can't shove her out till she's found something like that. Guess she's just gonna have to stay here!" Mike proclaimed with a grin.

"I believe you may be correct, Michelangelo." Splinter softly agreed, to the amazement of everyone.   
"But Sensei…" Leo started; to be silenced by Splinters' raised finger.   
"It is clear that the risk of Tausha being recognised above ground is too great for her to attempt to live there; for now, at least. I propose that she remain with us until circumstances change, or we save enough to buy her fare to Melbourne. To this end I suggest we bolster our income by increasing our appliance recycling efforts. This will be a tedious way of gathering the funds, but I am sure that if an opportunity for Tausha to find suitable employment arises, she will accept it."

With a grateful look for Splinter, Tausha nodded.   
"Of course, and I'll help out with fixing things as much as I can." she gave Don an apologetic smile "I don't know anything about electronics and stuff, but I'll be happy to learn."   
"Don't worry about that." assured Don "You've already been a big help on some of the gear we've worked on so far."   
"My sons." Splinter regained their attention "I do not wish to arbitrate on this resolution. It will have a great affect on all of us, so I will leave the decision up to each of you. If any of you do not agree with this solution, please speak now."

In the silence that followed Leo walked back to the lounge area, to pace briefly in front of the coffee table. He came to a halt, crouching in front of Tausha with a level stare.   
"Promise me you will do everything within reason to earn that money, and that you _will_ get on that plane."   
"Leo. I promise. It's what I want too."


	26. Epilogue

A/N: WARNING: I have posted Chapter 25 at the same time as I posted this.

Disclaimer: I don't own the TMNT, or any related characters (much to their relief, I'm sure!) If there is anything else in this story you recognise from somewhere else, then I don't own that either.

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'_Bitch – 1 1 1 1_  
_Cow – 1 1 1 1 1 1_  
_Short arse – 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1_  
_Weird accent – 1 1 1 1 1_  
_Weak girl – 1 _  
_Tom boy – 1 1 1 1 1 1 1_  
_Snuck up to surprise – 1 1 1_  
_Tripped up to surprise – 1_  
_Scared with bug – 1_  
_Teased about being scared of bugs – 1 1 1 1 1 1_  
_Hung over skylight – 1_  
_Caused her beating – 1 1 1_  
_Death threats – 1 1_  
_Threats to kill father – 1 1 1 1 1 1 1_  
_Threats to harm father – 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1_'

Raph sighed as he looked over the list. It felt weird writing this stuff down. He'd gotten the idea from Don. He'd been curious as to why his brother was scribbling on a pad whilst sat in front of his computer. Don had explained he'd been listing every error he knew of in a program he was working on in order to solve a glitch he couldn't identify. Looking at the tally of the all the stuff he'd ever taunted her with, or about, or said, or did that may have upset her, with the horrid notion there was still stuff he hadn't remembered yet; Raph wondered at the miracle she _was_ his friend. He'd started with the goal of investigating just what he'd done to hurt her, since he still hadn't figured that out after a week.

At least the exercise made him feel hugely grateful Tau made an effort to be with him. Of course their mornings were still taken up with training, Splinter allowing her to join in the katas once more after a few days sat on the step. After that she usually went straight to the Lab to help out with fixing stuff, though she always asked him along. The rest of the time they just hung out, often with Mike in tow; playing computer games or helping out round the lair. She was happy to 'spot' for him as he did weights, or even sit on the cold warehouse floor lobbing tools at him as he worked on his bike, occasionally sparring lightly as she recovered, or just… talking.

It occurred to Raph that, odd as it was, he looked forward to talking to her; especially on the very rare occasions his brothers weren't around to butt in. It wasn't like they spoke about anything Earth-shattering; just whatever took their fancy, or not. They could sit quite happily together in silence for ages. But it was like they'd gotten back to what they'd had before, on the rooftops; the freedom and security to talk about anything and everything without fear of being seriously teased or snubbed. Well, anything except how he'd stuffed his chances at anything more. He just never seemed to find the courage for that.

Jumping at the light knock on his bedroom door he slammed the notebook shut just as Tausha entered.   
"Hey!" she beamed.   
"Hey." Raph returned their usual greeting, desperately trying to plaster a nonchalant smile on his face. It obviously didn't work as she walked over with a slight frown of concern, to lean on his desk.   
"What's up?" queried Tau softly.   
"Nuthin'." he shrugged, fighting the urge to snatch away the book as she reached to touch it, the furrow deepening on her brow.   
"What's this?"   
"Nuth…" the glimmer in her eyes made him reconsider "I just write stuff… sometimes, nuthin' important. Mainly just lyrics I like... and sometimes stuff I'm thinkin' about, like weird dreams an' things like that." The smile she gave him eased some of the heat in his cheeks, from his embarrassment anyway, before she hitched up to sit on the edge of his hammock.

"That's cool. You know I had the weirdest dream last night? Dad was running straight at me, angry as hell. But I wasn't scared or anything! I just stood my ground. Then, just before he thumped me, he shrunk. To like, this small!" she held up her thumb and fore finger, about an inch apart.   
"Heh! I just picked him up and tucked him in my shirt pocket, for safe keeping. Funny, huh?" She enacted the last part, leaving her hand resting just under her left collar bone. She grinned, waiting for his response.   
"Y… Yeah." Raph agreed, almost wishing she would move her hand. It drew his attention to two things he was trying to ignore. The first was the dragon on her shoulder.

She'd really relaxed a lot over the past few days and had taken to wearing her singlets again. Raph actually liked the image, but right now the beast was eyeing him disdainfully from it's haunt under the strap. Its mouth was slightly open, and lately Raph felt the darn thing was laughing at him. It was stupid, being jealous of a damn picture. After all, he still got to hug her too.

The second was a little more distracting; the small nub visible in the fabric below her hand. Ever since she'd shown him her other tattoo he'd become almost painfully aware of just how often she wore a bra; practically never. The singlets didn't help, though he wasn't about to ask her to stop wearing 'em. He honestly didn't think she realized the effect they had, though he also fervently hoped his brothers' didn't either.

Standing to prevent himself staring, he gave in to the childish urge to pull her strap across. He instantly regretted it as her smile feel into a worried look.   
"Does it upset you that much? 'Cos I'll wear stuff with sleeves if does."   
"No! I mean... nah, don't do that. I know you prefer wearing these. And I actually like your tat. I'm just bein'… stupid." he admitted to the floor.   
"You like it?" she seemed genuinely confused "Even despite what it means? And I don't think you've ever seen much of it…?"   
"Well, I've never known you without it, so I guess I look at it as more a part of you than anything else. And I've seen a fair bit of it, every now and then. You were wearin' that open backed top when we first met; and that dress that time in the car park was pretty low cut in the back too…"

The confusion gave way to amazement.   
"I'd almost forgotten about that… you remember what it looks like just from that?" Raph shuffled nervously, then decided to take a chance.   
"Yeah, well… sorta. I'd like to see it again though." He inwardly cringed as her face coloured slightly, certain she was gonna tell him to go jump.   
"I can't show you all of it…" she murmured "'cos it comes all the way down here." she slipped her hand under her right leg, close up under her buttock. Raph tried to stop his eye ridge moving at the sight; then failed as she chewed her lip softly. A stern voice echoed from somewhere distant in his head 'You're supposed to be trying to avoid this kind of distraction…' Of course, he ignored it.

With a nervous smile she shifted to sit sideways on the hammock, her left leg still dangling over the edge.   
"But I suppose I can still show you most of it…" Raph found swallowing extremely difficult as she leaned forward slightly, gathering up her top to expose her back. She didn't remove it completely, holding the material in her fist over her left shoulder. She tucked her left arm around her midriff to secure the covering in the front, dropping her head modestly.

Seeing the creature up close and in the light Raph found himself hesitating, almost as if he were afraid of startling it. Tentatively he reached out to touch the leg stretching toward her neck. Pausing with the feather touch to check she was ok with it. Despite turning her head slightly she didn't speak; her eyes hooded. Returning his attention to the image he gently stroked the limb towards the claws; failing to brush away the droplets of blood depicted where the talons broke the skin.

"Does it hurt?" he murmured. Her expression didn't change as she answered quietly.   
"Getting it done? Yeah… a bit." Raph grimaced as he moved his fingers back down the leg, to trace the animals' spine as it snaked down the side of her back. He flattened his hand as he followed the line of the tail before it sunk completely below the waistband of her jeans; almost surprised he couldn't feel the rear leg gripping the small of her back as he ran his palm over it. Again ineffectually trying to smooth away the small trickle of blood there he felt torn.   
"But it's beautiful…"

He didn't realise he'd whispered the thought until she gave him a tremulous but grateful smile; though she still didn't meet his eyes, leaving her own half-closed. His chest tightened as he slowly ran his palm up the creatures back once more, returning to using his finger tips as he traced the other fore-leg; the flat of her back dropping away as the claws reached almost under her arm.

The odd tension was shattered as she flinched away with a laugh, roughly pulling the singlet back down.   
"Hey! That tickles!" she continued to giggle.   
"Sorry." Raph apologised lightly, with a grin of his own. He sobered quickly however, adding softly,   
"For hurting you." Tau smiled at his nonsense.   
"Don't be silly, you didn't hurt me…"   
"No. I meant… for whatever I did. I'm not sure what it was, but I've never meant to hurt you." he murmured to her knee.

Tausha looked a little shamefaced as she suddenly found her dangling knee fascinating as well.   
"I was kinda hoping to just put that behind us. I didn't think you'd realize I'd heard… since you'd sent me out. But, I… hung about outside when you and Leo were arguing last week. You said" she sighed heavily "that you wouldn't be so stupid as to get 'involved' with… me. And then you tried to… kiss me again." she petered out. Raph was mortified as realisation dawned. She continued long before he his brain managed to untangle itself enough to form a coherent thought he'd be willing to say.   
"I figure at… best, you were lying to Leo. At worst, you're playing games with me…"

"I…, uh…, I didn't mean…, ugh. I was… being stupid." he admitted, almost inaudibly. With a snarl he heatedly continued.   
"Sometimes Leo just gets under my skin, and I it makes me wanna, Argh." punching his fist into his hand.   
"I was trying to get him off my back. I reckon its damn rich for him to be pickin' on us after what he did with that bitch, Karai."   
"What did he do?" she asked quietly.   
"Well, he... Ah, he… cut her heaps of slack, just 'cos he liked her!"

Tausha quirked a disbelieving eye brow at him.   
"Is that it? Did she like him? I know she probably wouldn't, but Karai never mentioned him or anything."   
"They never 'got together', if that's what you mean. Or at least I don't think they did…" Raph trailed off, scratching his head.   
"So why do you hate Karai so much?"   
"'Cos he put us at risk to help her out,…" he explained vehemently, continuing on a softer note "sort of. And 'cos… Well, 'cos she hurt him, I guess."

He shuffled nervously as she slipped off his bed to stand before him, arms crossed with a stern look.   
"So you're angry at him because he got hurt by someone else, and is tying to stop the same thing happening to you?"   
"Uh…, but we're different. I know you'd never hurt me…" Tau 'humphed'.   
"No. I just 'nick' your gear and try to shove you off a building every now and then." she pointed out sarcastically.   
"And besides, Leo doesn't know that." she continued levelly "Maybe if you ease off on him; he'll ease off on us."

"Us?" Raph asked optimistically. With a sigh Tausha shook her head.   
"Our friendship. I… like you. And I won't deny it… felt nice… when you… Ah, all this stuff is kinda new to me too…, and I don't wanna get hurt."   
"I wouldn't…" she silenced his protest, cupping his cheek.   
"I… know. But I've had a chance to think about it, and there's more to it. I'm already gonna miss you so much when I go. And what if it didn't work? That'd make things… difficult. And then there's your family; at least Leo seems OK at the moment, and he's not as full-on about security and stuff. But I don't think he'd be happy… and I know the others have accepted me being around pretty well, but that might change if… I don't want to cause problems between you guys. It's not like we could keep anything secret." she ran her fingers over the top of her hair with a sigh, leaving her hands resting on her shoulders.   
"And even if we could…, and I'm not even sure what we can…, then there's a heap more questions and problems there…, and…" she looked to the ceiling for guidance "Damn it, it's just easier not to start in the first place."

Confused, it took Raph a few moments to think of something to say as she gazed at him with a pleading look.   
"So ya just wanna be friends then."   
"Yeah."   
"'k" he agreed with a small shrug. Tau smiled at him in relief.   
"You know, I'm happy with where we're at now, with hugging and stuff…" she offered timidly. Raph nodded before fixing her with a serious look.   
"Can I just ask one thing?"   
"Sure."   
"Can I have… one kiss? I just wanna know what it feels like…, when it's not a surprise…, and I may never get another chance. I promise I'll never ask again…" she stopped his ramble with her hand on his cheek once more. Disheartened by the indecision in her eyes he quickly dropped his gaze. As a result he didn't notice her moving closer until he felt her breath on his cheek.

"Just one, ok?" she whispered, not waiting for a response before pressing her lips lightly to his. Despite the softness of the contact Raph felt his head and chest were gonna explode for the thundering beat racing through them. He managed to gather his wits enough to return the pressure. Then, thankful she was lingering for a moment; he slowly brought his hands up to grasp her shoulders, deepening the kiss slightly.

'Whomp!'   
"Hey, hey guys! I'm back! What's hap…, er, I'm not disturbing anything, am I?" Mike asked, after exploding through the door; wondering why Raph and Tau were both beet red despite being six feet apart. He took a half-step back as Raph glared at him with a murderous glint in his eye. Before he could make a dash for it however, Raph suddenly gave a laugh, though it was a little manic.   
"Nah…, I keep tellin' ya we're just friends Mike. There's nothin' for ya to disturb."

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A/N 2: Yep, this is the end for this fic! –ducks barrage of rotten fruit-

I can't give enough thanks to all those who have reviewed, encouraged and helped out with the writing of this. I _might_ have done it without you; but it sure as heck wouldn't have been as much fun, or as rich a story if I hadn't!

BTW for all the romantics out there, you have Artykidd to thank for the plot bunny that led to me writing this version of the Epilogue! I said I wouldn't make any major changes, but I am open to some influences (read; large boots, lol)! And hey, I think this version is better than what I had planned originally anyway. Thanks heaps chica! Hope ya like it.

For those that are interested, the story will continue. Probably in a few weeks 'cos I have GOT to spend some time on my other fic, reading everything overflowing from my in box etc... I can tell ya that the title for the next instalment will be 'Celebrations and Revelations'. o.O! What's with the 'x' and 'y' titles? I dunno either, just can't think of good story titles! Rest assured the whole series won't be this corny… the third one will be 'Curse of the Broken Pearl'. Not much better, but at least it's a change, lol!

Take care, good luck, and CHEERS!


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